RAIL UNION RMT announced today that they will be holding a demonstration and lobby of the Scottish Parliament at 11.15am on Thursday April 15th followed by a rally in Committee Room 3 of the Parliament buildings. The protest comes towards the end of the latest phase of RMT strike action in defence of the role of the guard on Scotrail.
More than 550 RMT guards, drivers and sleeper-train managers at First Scotrail will take further strike action spread over a period of four days from Monday 12th April as the union steps up its action against plans to impose driver-only operation on the new Airdrie-Bathgate line.
RMT guards and drivers will not book on for shifts between 00.01 hours on Monday 12th April and 23.59 hours on Wednesday 14th April and sleeper train managers will not book on for shifts between 18.00 hrs on Tuesday 13th April and 17.59 hours on Thursday 15th April.
The stepping up of the action comes after a total failure by Scottish Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson to intervene and instruct his contractors, First Scotrail, to comply with existing agreements on driver-only operation.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said today;
"Our member's courage and determination to defend rail safety and the role of the guard on First Scotrail is second to none and if the company, and Transport Scotland, thought that this issue would quietly fade away then they didn't reckon with the grit of RMT members.
"Months into this campaign, First Scotrail and the Scottish Government still refuse to face up to their responsibilities to the travelling public and their staff and are prepared to slash corners on rail safety in the dash for cuts and the drive for profits. That is why we are taking the protest to the doorstep of the Scottish Parliament.
"I repeat my call for a face to face meeting with First Minister Alex Salmond to resolve this issue and to get the company to comply with their obligations in respect of the guards. If First Scotrail and the Transport Minister are not able to bring this dispute to a conclusion then it falls to the First Minister to intervene. We will make sure that safety on Scotrail services is a major public issue throughout the election campaign."
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