DOO strikes escalate and more drivers refuse to cross picket lines

Submitted by Gemma_S on 8 January, 2018 - 12:54 Author: By a rail worker
Rail workers at Liverpool on strike

RMT guards on Northern, Merseyrail, Greater Anglia and South West Railways trains will strike on 8, 10 and 12 January, with Southern members also joining the action on 8 January.

This represents a necessary escalation in the fight against DOO, and will cause disruption to trains for most of the first proper working week of 2018.

With the escalation have come some other developments - by choosing a Monday, Wednesday and Friday the union has ensured that 3 days of action span a full working week but only hit strikers for a maximum of 2 days pay each.

Further, this is being coupled with a £200 per member strike pay payment that will offset almost the full two days' pay. This should help strikers carry on to beat the employer and the DfT.

Finally, a separate Merseyrail Solidarity Fund has been set up in recognition of the rock solid unity between drivers and guards on that franchise, where Aslef drivers have been refusing to cross picket lines. This will allow solidarity payments to be made both to RMT Guards and any other rail workers who have refused to cross the picket lines on strike days.

Supporters of the fight against DOO should can help raise money for this fund by getting their union branches and other organisations to make donations or hold collections for the fund. We have included the bank account detaills for the fund below.

The Merseyrail fund should be opened up so that drivers and other workers at other franchises who have refused to cross picket lines can access it. This would have the added bonus of allowing the fund to be a focus for a national solidarity drive to keep the dispute going. An increasing number of drivers at Northern have been refusing to cross picket lines, and a driver at one depot has secured a guarantee from the employer that no disciplinary action will be taken for not crossing the picket line.

This strike will however not see Aslef drivers on Southern involved in the dispute. For more information on the Aslef "deal" on Southern click here.

Merseyrail Solidarity Fund
Unity Trust Bank
60-83-01
Acc No 20388537

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