Northern Rail passengers face more strike action and delays as the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has extended its timetable of planned strikes on Northern Rail services to every Saturday in January.
The owner of the Northern Rail franchise is Arriva Rail Northern, a subsidiary of the German state railway Deutsche Bahn, which itself is a private joint-stock company, singularly owned by the German Government. Under a clause in the ‘Miscellaneous Payment Provisions’ of its 2015 franchise contract, Northern rail can apply for compensation from the government for losses arising from industrial action. Deutsche Bahn is reported to have recently been in urgent talks with the Department for Transport (DfT) over revenue shortfalls at the Northern franchise.
A DfT source alleges no money has yet been paid out, nor agreement reached on the level of compensation. They have dismissed claims from the RMT that taxpayers would be bailing out Northern to something to the tune of £24m.
RMT members have now been on strike every Saturday for the last five months in its 21 month dispute over the role of guards on trains. Northern Rail have said that they have written to The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) requesting an independent inquiry into the whole of the guard issue.
While more than 50% of all rail journeys in the UK are already made on driver-controlled trains, both the Department for Transport and Northern Rail have allegedly publicly confirmed that a second person would be retained on Northern services for some time to come. The DfT stated; “This second person will provide customer service, including meeting customer needs on accessibility, safety, security, ticketing and information’’. Northern has also promised guards that their future role would be guaranteed onboard trains until at least 2025, with current pay being protected and reviewed annually, if the RMT are prepared to end the dispute.
Despite this, the RMT continues with its strike action, stating that it will fight on because of its concern for the safety of the public. So why has the RMT taken it on itself to assume the role of the Health & Safety Executive? Clearly, the RMT’s strike is all about protecting future jobs. While this might be seen has a noble cause by some, I suspect the RMT is now losing friends fast amongst the general public, not least of all because this strike is costing the likes of you and me our hard earned cash. On the other hand, I find it outrageous that under the franchise agreement the government is using taxpayers money to back Northern Rail management in a dispute with its own workers, especially as it is to the detriment of the public.
When will the Northern Rail strike fiasco end? Well, Northern Rail, don’t seem unduly bothered by the strike, as I’m sure a bit of creative accounting will see them do alright on the taxpayer’s bailout. RMT members, particularly train drivers, are now very well paid, so I don’t suppose they are also too bothered about missing out on the odd Saturday’s overtime. Unless, there’s Government intervention the strike could yet run for many months.
Northern Rail’s franchise is not due to end until the summer of 2025. The strike action is bad enough but Northern Rail have mismanaged their franchise operation from day one. Beginning in 2016, there has been a litany of late and cancelled trains on all the lines operate by them. Excuses cited for cancelled trains are often the very basics, i.e. they don’t have a driver or they don’t have carriages available. Ultimately, the German Government are responsible for the Northern Rail debacle. Serious questions must now be asked as to whether they are a fit entity to be operating trains in the UK?
A major review to transform Britain’s railways was launched by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in September 2018. The recommendations are due for implementation in 2020. With my last replacement train leaving at 5.15 pm on a Saturday being way too early, I’ve racked quite a hefty taxi bill over the last 5 months. With the prospect of up to another 2 years of strikes: Where do I submit my compensation claim Mr Grayling?
