Virgin Trains strike: Workers announce 48-hour walkout over May Day Bank Holiday on East Coast Mainline

Walkout: The strike will take place for 48 hours
PA
Dick Murray13 April 2017

Virgin Trains has been dragged into the dispute over driver-only operation of trains after workers announced a 48 hour strike on the East Coast Mainline.

The stoppage will involve RMT train guards, some station staff and a number a drivers on Friday and Saturday 28 and 29 April.

It will hit thousands of travellers heading off for the long May Day Bank Holiday weekend.

The union claims it has been given no reassurance against “the possible introduction of driver-only operation (DOO).”

Union leaders are already involved in strike action with three other train companies, Southern Railway, Northern Rail and Merseyrail in similar disputes.

They said consultations over the changing role of the guard and other staff have been taking place for more than a year – but operators Virgin/Stagecoach had introduced the changes anyway two weeks ago without agreement.

A union spokesman said: “The only response the company has offered is to repeat the vague and non-committal mantra of ‘within our discussions we have confirmed that the safety critical duties of the guard will remain on the train.’”

The RMT has taken 31 days of strike action against Southern in the past year, although fresh talks will be held later this month to try to break the deadlock.

Virgin Trains said it would run a near-normal timetable during the industrial action.

The company said it has made changes to customer-facing roles on board train which will see a single person take responsibility for the "customer experience".

"This will mean a better experience for customers. It also has zero impact on safety. We have repeatedly assured the RMT that the safety-critical role of the guard will remain on board, with the new train manager role taking responsibility," said a statement.

David Horne, managing director for Virgin Trains on the East Coast, said: "We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place and I want to reassure our customers that our timetable will be almost completely unaffected during this walk-out, as well as during any subsequent strikes by the RMT.

"Passengers can book and plan their journeys as normal and with confidence.

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