This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-33971018
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| First Great Western strikes: No agreement in union talks | First Great Western strikes: No agreement in union talks |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Talks being held to avoid walkouts by rail workers at First Great Western (FGW) have ended without agreement. | Talks being held to avoid walkouts by rail workers at First Great Western (FGW) have ended without agreement. |
| The train operator is locked in a long-running dispute with the RMT union over the introduction of new Hitachi Inter City trains. | The train operator is locked in a long-running dispute with the RMT union over the introduction of new Hitachi Inter City trains. |
| Union members, including guards and platform attendants, are set to strike on Sunday and on the bank holiday weekend. | |
| FGW said talks were due to resume on Thursday. | FGW said talks were due to resume on Thursday. |
| A 24-hour strike is planned for Sunday with a further 72-hour walkout scheduled over the bank holiday weekend from 29 August. | A 24-hour strike is planned for Sunday with a further 72-hour walkout scheduled over the bank holiday weekend from 29 August. |
| Members who work on maintenance will take action on 29 August and 31 August. | Members who work on maintenance will take action on 29 August and 31 August. |
| All of the strikes will begin at 00:01 BST and end at 23:59 BST. | All of the strikes will begin at 00:01 BST and end at 23:59 BST. |
| A 48-hour strike last month, over the same dispute, caused disruption to tens of thousands of commuters. | A 48-hour strike last month, over the same dispute, caused disruption to tens of thousands of commuters. |
| It affected high-speed services between London Paddington, south Wales, the Cotswolds, the Thames Valley region and the West of England. | It affected high-speed services between London Paddington, south Wales, the Cotswolds, the Thames Valley region and the West of England. |
| The RMT union said the action was in response to a "lack of assurances" over job protection for engineers. | The RMT union said the action was in response to a "lack of assurances" over job protection for engineers. |
| It also said it was concerned that the role of guards and platform staff would be diluted by plans for drivers to operate train doors, while it was angry at the proposed removal of buffet cars. | It also said it was concerned that the role of guards and platform staff would be diluted by plans for drivers to operate train doors, while it was angry at the proposed removal of buffet cars. |
| First Great Western has denied there would be job losses and said the new trains would have more seats and deliver faster and more frequent journeys for passengers. | First Great Western has denied there would be job losses and said the new trains would have more seats and deliver faster and more frequent journeys for passengers. |