TRAIN STRIKES have been suspended after the railway union and West Midlands Trains agreed to keep guards on every new train.
Coventry station will still have a limited timetable in place this weekend, however, as the train company said it is too late to restore services.
West Midlands Trains said: “After several weeks of negotiation, West Midlands Trains and the RMT union have formulated a settlement agreement covering the role of conductors on the new trains. This will now be subject to a workforce referendum, and in the mean time, the remaining strikes have been suspended.
“Both sides have worked hard on our shared vision to keep a conductor on every passenger train with safety critical duties.”
“The agreement has come too late to withdraw Saturday’s amended timetable . Passengers are being advised to check before they travel on Saturday (December 7).
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: ‘Due to the receipt of an improved offer on the future role of the guard on West Midlands Trains all action, including this Saturday, has been suspended and we will be holding a referendum vote with a recommendation to accept the deal.
‘I want to pay tribute to the RMT members whose resilience and solidarity has got us to the point where we can suspend action with those same members having the final say.’
