Rail Services Hit By Conductors' Strike

London Midland rail services are to face disruption today, as the second stage of a dispute over Sunday working takes place.

The Rail Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union is also seeking an urgent investigation into the rail service after reports of "serious safety lapses" by managers drafted in to undertake striking conductors' duties, it has emerged.

However, the London Midland has denied this.

Ballots at four franchises running trains into London - Stagecoach's South West Trains, National Express's East Anglia Line, First Group's First Capital Connect and London Overground - conclude on Tuesday.

During Friday’s industrial action, about 100 staff walked out. RMT has argued workers are being pressured into working on Sundays.

The union claimed the company was intimidating managers into covering the conductors' safety-critical work.

The firm's managing director Steve Banaghan said using management staff in conductor roles during the industrial action had been approved by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Railways.

"Many of our managers can draw on years of experience in conductor roles and they're doing an excellent job providing services to passengers during this period of industrial action."

However, RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Southern should be ashamed that, in a blatant attempt to maximise profits, it is prepared to expose staff handling money to greater risk of assault and cut their pay at the same time.

"If that wasn't bad enough, they are also imposing rosters that make it more difficult to balance work with family life and make it more difficult to take time off.

"Revenues, passengers and profits are all still rising at Southern, and only last month its parent group boasted of another record year, but they are putting their ruthless pursuit of profit ahead of safety and service."

(JM/BMcC)