South Western Railway workers to hold 27 days of strikes

A union has announced 27 days of rail strikes during during December and on New Year’s Day as part of a long-running dispute over train guards.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said its guards and drivers working for South Western Railway (SWR) had been left with “no choice” but to take industrial action.

The union said the dispute would continue for as long as SWR “refuse to give assurances” on the role of guards.

SWR has been approached for comment.

The union has told its members not to book on for duty:

• From 00:01 GMT on Monday 2 December until 23:59 on Wednesday 11 December
• From 00:01 on Friday 13 December until 23:59 on Tuesday 24 December
• From 00:01 on Friday 27 December 2019 until 23:59 on the 1 January

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “At the last meeting we held with SWR, principles in agreements were made in good faith with the company’s negotiating team and we now feel hugely let down again.

“As long as the company continues to refuse to give assurances on the future operational role of the guard, we will remain in dispute.

“I want to congratulate our members on their continued resolve in their fight for safety and the role of the guard on SWR.

“It is wholly down to the management side that the core issue of the safety critical competencies and the role of the guard has not been agreed.”