UNION leaders say they will lobby Merseyrail stakeholders at an anuual reception after a long dispute regarding guards postitions on driver only trains.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union say they will be holding a demonstration today (Thursday) at 4.30pm outside Liverpool Town Hall for their campaign to keep guards on trains.
The dispute between RMT and Merseyrail relates to a new fleet of driver-only trains that will replace the current 40-year-old rolling stock in 2020 which RMT say will threaten the security of guards jobs on trains.
A Merseyrail spokesman said: “First of all we can confirm that along with many other stakeholders across the City Region John Tilley, the RMT regional organiser has been invited to Merseyrail's Annual Stakeholder Reception as he has been in previous years.
“At present, we are still awaiting confirmation if he accepts.
“If he declines the invitation it will be such a shame as it would have allowed him to hear, first hand, some of the added value that this £460m new fleet project will bring to the City Region's economy alongside the £340m upgrade of the Wirral Line and Lime Street.
“This is a truly exciting time for rail users across the City Region.”
The union and Merseyrail are yet to resolve the dispute surrounding guards jobs on the new driver-only trains.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT members on Merseyrail have been engaged in a long, hard fight to stop the lethally ill-conceived plans to throw guards off Merseyrail trains regardless of the impact on passenger safety.
“It is about time that senior Labour politicians in the City took a leaf out of the book of the political leaderships in Scotland and Wales who have played key roles in brokering agreements that guarantee a guard on their trains.
“The 'Merseyrail Stakeholders' need to stop talking amongst themselves and start listening to the people who know about safety on the railway through their daily experiences – the guards and their colleagues out there at the sharp end.
“If the Merseyrail Stakeholders won’t engage with their front-line staff then RMT will take the message to their doorstep.
"That is what we will be doing on Thursday.”
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