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Southern, Merseyrail, Arriva Rail North and Greater Anglia rail staff strike Southern, Merseyrail, Arriva Rail North and Greater Anglia rail staff strike
(about 2 hours later)
Workers from four different rail companies are to stage two 24-hour strikes in continuing disputes over the role of guards and driver-only trains.Workers from four different rail companies are to stage two 24-hour strikes in continuing disputes over the role of guards and driver-only trains.
Members of the RMT union at Southern, Merseyrail, Arriva Rail North and Greater Anglia will walk out on 3 and 5 October.Members of the RMT union at Southern, Merseyrail, Arriva Rail North and Greater Anglia will walk out on 3 and 5 October.
The walk outs will coincide with the closure of Liverpool Lime Street station for major refurbishment.The walk outs will coincide with the closure of Liverpool Lime Street station for major refurbishment.
It will also be during the Tory Party's annual conference in Manchester.It will also be during the Tory Party's annual conference in Manchester.
'Fiasco' dragging on'Fiasco' dragging on
Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said the union wanted to resolve all the disputes with talks for round-table discussions involving all parties including the Department for Transport.Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said the union wanted to resolve all the disputes with talks for round-table discussions involving all parties including the Department for Transport.
He said it was "bitterly disappointed" the calls had been rejected leaving "no option but to call further action". He said the union was "bitterly disappointed" the calls had been rejected leaving "no option but to call further action".
"This fiasco cannot be allowed to drag on any longer.""This fiasco cannot be allowed to drag on any longer."
Between 30 September 30 and 22 October Network Rail will embark on a major project to overhaul the station, helping cater for a predicted doubling of peak-time passengers by 2043. Between 30 September and 22 October Network Rail will embark on a major project to overhaul the station, helping cater for a predicted doubling of peak-time passengers by 2043.
No trains will enter or leave Lime Street mainline station for nine days, and many will be diverted.No trains will enter or leave Lime Street mainline station for nine days, and many will be diverted.
Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail's managing director, said: "We are busy trying to build a better city region with an improved railway.Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail's managing director, said: "We are busy trying to build a better city region with an improved railway.
"The RMT seem to be doing everything in their power to destroy this work. Don't they want Liverpool to succeed?""The RMT seem to be doing everything in their power to destroy this work. Don't they want Liverpool to succeed?"
Mr Cash added it recognises the "severe impact the action will have" but said it was dealing with employers that refuse to listen or engage with the union on the "critical issue of safe rail operation" and asked the public to understand "we have no option... to force the company back to the negotiating table". Mr Cash recognised the "severe impact the action will have" but said the union was dealing with employers who refuse to listen or engage with the union.
'Rejected our offers''Rejected our offers'
Richard Allan, Arriva Rail North's deputy managing director, said: "Northern is modernising local rail with new and refurbished trains, better stations and faster journeys, and while strike action is disruptive, we remain firmly focused on delivering a better service for our customers. Nick Brown, chief operating officer for Southern's parent company Govia Thameslink Railway, said: "Modernisation is urgently required to future-proof and increase capacity on this, the busiest part of the UK railway, where passenger numbers have doubled in 12 years.
"The RMT needs to play its part if passengers are to benefit from service improvements."
Richard Allan, Arriva Rail North's deputy managing director, said the firm was modernising local rail with new and refurbished trains, better stations and faster journeys.
"RMT continues to reject our offers to talk and we are disappointed that the union has called further strike action."RMT continues to reject our offers to talk and we are disappointed that the union has called further strike action.
"We are still prepared to guarantee jobs and current pay for all our conductors for the next eight years." "We are still prepared to guarantee jobs and current pay for all our conductors for the next eight years," he said.
Southern, Greater Anglia and the Department for Transport are yet to comment on the announcement. Richard Dean, train service delivery director at Greater Anglia, said it too was "disappointed".
He said it had guaranteed conductors jobs until the end of October 2025.
"In fact, we will be recruiting additional conductors, as we are replacing all of our trains with brand new trains from 2019, which will enable us to run more services," he said.
The Department for Transport is yet to comment on the announcement.
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