‘WE’RE GOING TO BE HAVING PUNCH-UPS’
Britain’s recent rail strikes mark the first time since 1989 that workers across the entire network have been in dispute with their employers. But for much of the past decade, passengers across the country have faced severe disruption thanks to industrial unrest. Guards on Northern, the franchise which covers much of the north of England, were in dispute for an entire year, while a parallel clash on Southern, which operates commuter services south of London, lasted even longer.
What would motivate any group of workers to take such sustained strike action? After all, striking is a risky business: there are no guarantees of winning, you may be disciplined by management for taking part and each day you are on strike is a day’s pay lost.
Like others in the wave of strikes between 2016 and 2020, the Northern dispute related to the attempted removal of guards (otherwise known as ‘conductors’ and ‘train managers’). Among guards’ most important responsibilities are the closing of doors to ensure a safe departure from stations, checking tickets and interacting with passengers. Northern, and other operators, claimed that it was no longer necessary for guards to perform the first of these duties. With new technology such as strategically placed cameras, the driver could dispatch the train safely, leaving the guard free to pay more attention to customers.
The union
