Northern strike action suspended

[scrapy]

RMT have suspended all strike action and have come to a preliminary agreement with Northern. All trains to run with safety critical guard for duration of franchise with some door control passed to drivers. More details will emerge soon

 

[CaptainHaddock]

blimey, if that's true it's a bit unexpected to say the least!

 

[YorkshireLad]

Definitely true

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-suspends-northern-strike-action/

RMT suspends Northern strike action after major ACAS talks breakthrough ends two years of deadlock

RAIL UNION RMT said today that substantial progress in talks through the offices of ACAS has allowed the union’s executive to suspend the on-going programme of strike action on Northern Rail over the retention and the role of the guard on their trains.

Through the talks process the company have now offered a guarantee of a conductor on all trains, including the new fleet, for the duration of the current franchise. The guarantee is supported by the Department for Transport.

Further talks, involving all stakeholders, will now seek further agreement on operational models moving forwards.

 

[DarloRich]

good news.

from the press release above:

“I also want to thank the travelling public for their extraordinary support and both Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram for their efforts that have been important in allowing us to break the deadlock today"

That is an interesting statement. Good work by the two elected super mayors.

 

[Hardcastle]

Breaking news on Sky news now.

 

[Eccles1983]

The DOO crew in here have took a hell of a beating.

Fantastic news.

 

[ainsworth74]

I'm gonna need a minute to process this I think

 

[underbank]

I thought there was the "guarantee of a conductor on all trains" a while ago?

 

[RAPC]

They have just announced it at Manchester Piccadilly. Fantastic news, plus it is saving me £17 on parking this weekend

 

[Darandio]

I'm gonna need a minute to process this I think

More like a lie down!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Good news I'd say. The benefits of a guard remain, but the performance gains of driver release (I'm guessing that's what it is) can be realised.

Shame it's taken so long to get there.

 

[Bletchleyite]

good news.

from the press release above:

“I also want to thank the travelling public for their extraordinary support and both Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram for their efforts that have been important in allowing us to break the deadlock today"

That is an interesting statement. Good work by the two elected super mayors.

I wonder if they have been able to contribute some kind of funding so the DfT could climb down on their push for DOO which was primarily for financial reasons?

 

[scrapy]

They have just announced it at Manchester Piccadilly. Fantastic news, plus it is saving me £17 on parking this weekend

Unfortunately Northern now saying they are only able to run strike timetable this weekend as too short notice to change.

 

[scrapy]

Good news I'd say. The benefits of a guard remain, but the performance gains of driver release (I'm guessing that's what it is) can be realised.

Shame it's taken so long to get there.

Details still to be discussed with both RMT and ASLEF. No decision has been made yet. It might be full driver door control on new units.

 

[driver9000]

I thought there was the "guarantee of a conductor on all trains" a while ago?

A very vague promise of a "second person" but no details of their duties of qualifications. Widely accepted as being the same as the ScotRail ticket inspectors or Southern OBS role who have no safety training and trains can run without them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unfortunately Northern now saying they are only able to run strike timetable this weekend as too short notice to change.

That seems surprising. It may be impractical to get things to a full service, but surely they could implement simple single-unit, single-crew shuttle services using the guards who will now be working?

Or are we about to find that what they've actually been doing is being really short of drivers so have rostered them on other days, and we're about to see a whack of weekday cancellations return?

 

[Eccles1983]

Nope.

The rosters for Saturday were posted last night. It's not possible to change them now.

 

[RAPC]

Back to plan A then in that case - £17 on parking and a car journey as mine is one of the stations that doesn’t get a strike day service.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Nope.

The rosters for Saturday were posted last night. It's not possible to change them now.

What will the now non-striking guards do? Come in and sit in the messroom all day?

 

[geoffk]

Good news I'd say. The benefits of a guard remain, but the performance gains of driver release (I'm guessing that's what it is) can be realised..

If so, a similar deal to Scotrail.

 

[Eccles1983]

What will the now non-striking guards do? Come in and sit in the messroom all day?

Not quite.

Rosters are still posted with jobs attached. Normally they don't run at all -. Those that can will be. But Saturdays have been used for route learning and training of drivers. You cannot re-roster them to work now as the roster is up.

It won't be a full service, but won't be as bad as a normal Saturday.

 

[Matt_pool]

Now to sort out the delays, cancellations and overcrowding!

 

[Starmill]

How can something that was impossible for two years happen almost overnight?

 

[Starmill]

Now to sort out the delays, cancellations and overcrowding!

As if if were so simple. Two years worth of strikes, six months of consecutive Saturday strike disruption, including this weekend has resulted in significant structural changes to the way some people travel. It could be some time until we're back to where we started.

 

[dk1]

How can something that was impossible for two years happen almost overnight?

Oh I would love to be a fly on the wall at the DfT today

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not quite.

Rosters are still posted with jobs attached. Normally they don't run at all -. Those that can will be. But Saturdays have been used for route learning and training of drivers. You cannot re-roster them to work now as the roster is up.

It won't be a full service, but won't be as bad as a normal Saturday.

Ah, that makes more sense.

 

[furnessvale]

RMT have suspended all strike action and have come to a preliminary agreement with Northern. All trains to run with safety critical guard for duration of franchise with some door control passed to drivers. More details will emerge soon

The RMT press release doesn't actually say "safety critical guard" it uses the word "conductor". I feel sure if it was a "safety critical guard" RMT would have used that wording, it being so important to them.

I for one will not be popping any champagne corks just yet!

 

[Eccles1983]

The RMT press release doesn't actually say "safety critical guard" it uses the word "conductor". I feel sure if it was a "safety critical guard" RMT would have used that wording, it being so important to them.

I for one will not be popping any champagne corks just yet!

All "guards" are in fact conductors. It's the conductor grade.

Guarding trains is old hand..

 

[PR1Berske]

I'm a very happy man (if this works out to be the good news it seems)

I was highly critical of the RMT and its attitudes throughout. Here's hoping they've managed to make a success of the talks.

 

[cactustwirly]

RMT have suspended all strike action and have come to a preliminary agreement with Northern. All trains to run with safety critical guard for duration of franchise with some door control passed to drivers. More details will emerge soon

Is this not the same deal that GA agreed with the RMT last year?
It's a bit of a disappointment, as I was hoping for a role like Southern's OBS, which as a passenger I find a lot better than a Northern Guard you may or may not see!