THE RMT has announced a further strike on Greater Anglia in the continuing dispute over on-train staffing, and staff are set to walk out for 24 hours on 5 May. There will also be an indefinite ban on accepting any additional Sunday shifts beyond those which have been rostered.

The union’s general secretary Mick Cash said: “A further meeting has been held between Greater Anglia and RMT and following intense discussions, the company tabled their ‘best and final’ proposals. These proposals have recently been discussed at a staff side meeting with RMT Local and Company Council Reps where it was unanimously agreed that the company’s position was unacceptable.

“Greater Anglia remains adamant that the role of the guard will have no involvement in the releasing or closing of the train doors. The proposal stipulates that ‘train drivers will operate the train doors and undertake train despatch in normal circumstances’.

“RMT Reps are of the view that the ‘guarantees’ given by the company are unreliable and that the company cannot be trusted to preserve a safety critically trained employee let alone a guard on every train. The vital safety role of the guard is still under threat and the extension of DOO remains a serious risk.”

Greater Anglia said a full service would run on 5 May using stand-in conductors, who have been fully trained. Around six out of 10 GA trains are already DOO, but conductors are still used on intercity and rural services.

GA managing director Jamie Burles said: “We are very disappointed. We have had constructive talks with RMT union officials and discussed at length a proposal which we hoped would result in an agreement.

“Unfortunately, the RMT has now decided to discontinue those discussions and announce a strike day. Our position remains the same. We highly value our conductors, we’re keeping them on our trains, but we want them to concentrate on customer service rather than opening and closing doors.

“We will continue to attempt to talk to the RMT to try to find an acceptable solution.”