RMT guards plan more disruption on c2c

In the wake of causing five days of disruption over the August Bank Holiday weekend with strike action on the c2c route, the RMT guards union has announced further industrial action for later this week.

The union is planning an overtime and rest day working ban on Friday (31 August) that, although short of an all-out strike, will cause further disruption to services, with roughly 75% of peak and 50% of off-peak trains able to run. Trains for the peak services will be lengthened, to ensure as many people as possible will be able to travel.

An emergency timetable for Friday is being prepared and will be distributed in leaflet form to customers at c2c stations.

The ongoing dispute is over the role of the guard and the use of Driver Only Operation (DOO) of trains.

c2c Operation Director Andrew Chivers said: "It is a source of extreme annoyance to us and our long-suffering customers that the RMT is continuing this unwarranted industrial action in pursuit of its wider political objectives.

"And it is especially galling that passengers are being forced to tolerate a second bout of inconvenience in the same week.

"The only assurance I can offer our customers is that the c2c management team is doing everything in its power to bring this strike to an end. We have made it clear to the RMT that we remain available for talks at any time.

"As well as keeping up regular meetings with the union and other interested parties, we are again urging the RMT to honour the agreements it has signed with us for the introduction of DOO on c2c and, as they are campaigning over DOO and the role of the guard nationally, to take their case to the proper authority who can deal with any changes they want to make to the industry's rule book - the independent Railway Safety organisation.

"We keep pointing out to the RMT that, as a lone train operator, c2c does not have the power to make the changes they seek. And we have also tried to appeal to the union's better nature by asking the question: as the strikes were called off everywhere else in the country on the understanding that no further DOO schemes would be introduced, why not call off your action here?"

c2c has offered to suspend any further works on DOO, begun after the RMT signed an agreement for its phased introduction in December 1999, if the RMT will suspend any further industrial action until the outcome of an extensive review of DOO is published in October by Railway Safety. So far, the union has rejected this peace formula.

Details of Friday's emergency timetable will also be available on this website, from station staff or by phoning 08457 48 49 50.