FGW are set to strike over Reading Festival weekend

The RMT Union has confirmed that First Great Western staff will be staging industrial action over the August Bank Holiday weekend in an ongoing row over job security. The strike will start at 12:01 am, Saturday 29th August and last until 11:59pm, Monday 31st. The strike takes place the same weekend as Reading Festival and, as First Great Western provide a majority of the service to the surrounding stations, people taking the train to the event will be impacted, if the strike goes ahead.

Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT union said: "Despite strenuous efforts by our negotiators we have not been able to secure the kind of progress required in the key areas of jobs, services and safety for us to reach an agreement. As a result we have no option but to put further action on. The fact remains that if it is good enough for East Coast, using the same trains, to meet the very basic assurances sought by this trade union then it is good enough for First Great Western as well. We congratulate our members for their rock solid support for the strike action last month and we know that they remain united and determined as we continue with our campaign on these crucial issues. RMT remains available for talks."