RAIL union RMT confirmed today that it has declared a dispute and is preparing an industrial action ballot on Great Western services.
This is after FirstGroup confirmed in a letter to the union that it is laying out the ground to axe guards and catering services on the new InterCity Express trains being supplied by Hitachi.
The letter, which confirms everything that RMT has been warning of since the union first saw the plans for the new trains, makes it clear that First Great Western are seeking to impose the following conditions for the operation of Super Express Trains (SETs):
• The Driver will be solely responsible for the operation of the doors on SET trains.
• Although not the normal method of operation, SET services could be operated with the Driver as the only member of staff on board when a Train Manager is not immediately available.
In respect of catering facilities the correspondence confirms that whilst a full kitchen will be provided on all SET trains the intention is to introduce an at-seat trolley service in standard class – the ‘Upstairs/Downstairs’ service that the union has been warning of from the outset.
The union said: ‘The response from the company wholly fails to address in any way the assurances required by the union and RMT has now made it clear that it will take all necessary measures to defend the interests of its members from the implications of these proposals and fight tooth and nail for both safety and job security.
‘RMT will now finalise the preparations of an industrial action ballot.’
RMT’s demands in respect of the introduction of the new InterCity trains remain the same:
• To keep a safety competent guard on every train – not a diluted customer service role
• To keep full buffet car facilities and catering services
• Maintaining station staffing levels including safety critical station dispatch staff
• No job losses or dilution of current roles or creation of new job roles with inferior terms and conditions
• To bring depot, turn-around and on-board cleaning in-house.
• To maintain the job security of our members working in the current fleet engineering depots where TUPE and the principles of job security apply.
