First Great Western Strike Suspended

Published Jan 17, 2008 12:01 AM by The Maritime Executive

The 48-hour strike of First Great Western (FGW) originally planned for January 20 and 21 by the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) has been suspended after FGW ". . . agreed not to use managers to drive or work trains as guards," states a RMT press release. Members of Britain's largest rail union, according to its press statements, voted ". . . overwhelmingly to strike in disputes over breakdowns in industrial relations and the use of managers to guard and drive trains" on January 10.

On the day the ballots closed, FGW issued the following statement: "We're very disappointed that RMT guards have decided to take industrial action. At this stage the detail is not clear about what the RMT plans. We are asking the RMT to keep talking, and want to keep working with the union. We are very open to finding a realistic solution to issues the RMT raises, in fact we are meeting again tomorrow at noon. At the heart of this dispute is Sunday working. We believe RMT members have a commitment to work some Sundays. However the RMT believe guards can choose not to attend on Sundays. As a commercial, seven-day-a-week operation, we need be able to provide a dependable service for customers. To achieve this we have as a last resort used fully qualified safety trained managers working as guards to crew trains. The decision to keep services going because staff are unavailable is only taken when all other possibilities have been exhausted. We will not compromise safety."

However, talks between both sides continued after RMT's vote and, on January 15, FGW gave RMT "the commitment they were seeking, particularly in relation to managers working trains," according to FGW's Chief Operating Officer Andrew Haines. As a result, RMT agreed to suspended the strike.

"The resolve of RMT members at First Great Western has led the company to listen and act on our concerns and we hope a resolution can be found," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said on January 15. Nevertheless, he warned, "Our strike mandate is still valid and negotiations will continue on a number of issues essential to the resolution to this dispute."

For more information on RMT, visit the union's Web site: www.rmt.org.uk

For more information on FGW, visit the company's Web site: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk