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First Great Western strike unlikely

Monday, 14 January 2008

Union representatives have recommended that a 48-hour strike by guards on First Great Western trains planned for Sunday 20 and Monday 21 January is suspended.

Updated: Union calls off First Great Western strike

The RMT transport union members voted to halt work in a dispute with bus and train operator FirstGroup PLC, First Great Western’s parent company, over a breakdown in industrial relations and the use of managers to guard and drive trains.

Train drivers were not expected to take part in the strike, which could bring disruption to thousands of commuters in Wales and the West of England, as progress had been made in negotiations on their working conditions.

First Great Western said that significant progress had been made in discussions held on Friday regarding the guards' dispute.

The rail operator added that it had given the RMT negotiating team the commitment they were seeking, particularly in relation to managers working trains. First Great Western said that Sunday working was at the heart of the dispute.

“We believe RMT members have a commitment to work some Sundays. The RMT believe, however, that guards can choose not to attend on Sundays,” the firm said last week.

It added that it had used fully qualified safety trained managers as guards to crew trains only as a last resort when all other possibilities had been exhausted.

Further talks have been agreed for next week to discuss the other issues in dispute. The RMT Negotiating Team have recommended to their Executive Committee that the strike action planned for next week be suspended.

First Great Western's parent company FirstGroup, which recently became a FTSE 100 company, also runs the ScotRail, First Capital Connect and Transpennine Express franchises, open access operator Hull Trains and freight company GB Railfreight.

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