Eurostar train managers vote for action against ‘self dispatch’

RMT TRAIN managers at Eurostar have voted overwhelmingly for action to stop the imposition from next month of ‘self-dispatch’ of services from Paris, a function currently undertaken by platform staff.

After members voted by a margin of 24 to one for action in a ballot that closed today, Britain’s biggest rail union has instructed train managers to refuse to carry out train-dispatch duties that the union argues are a cost-cutting and unreasonable extension of already heavy responsibilities.

In talks Eurostar had claimed that French unions had already accepted the practice – but sister union Rail SUD has confirmed that no such agreement exists either with Eurostar or French Railway SNCF, and that French train managers do not accept it.

RMT and sister unions are already embroiled in a battle to stop the wholesale watering-down of Channel tunnel rail safety at the behest of the European Union to facilitate ‘open access’ for other operators.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today:

“Eurostar failed to guarantee that it will not impose self-dispatch, either at Paris or elsewhere on the Eurostar network, our members have delivered their decisive verdict and the union has instructed them not to carry out self-dispatch duties.

“The company tried to hoodwink our members by claiming falsely that their French colleagues had already agreed to self-dispatch, and that is no way to try to conduct industrial relations.

“This a purely cost-cutting exercise that would load additional safety-critical responsibilities onto train-managers and we will not stand by and watch the levelling-down of standards.

“We will work closely with our French and Belgian colleagues to defend the safety of Eurostar services and to ensure that the company does not impose working practices that have not been negotiated or agreed.