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| Arriva Trains Wales strike: Deadlock in talks as action looms | Arriva Trains Wales strike: Deadlock in talks as action looms |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Talks over a train strike which will affect an estimated 60,000 people have hit deadlock, as the midnight deadline for action to begin looms. | Talks over a train strike which will affect an estimated 60,000 people have hit deadlock, as the midnight deadline for action to begin looms. |
| All Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) services in Wales and parts of England will be cancelled for 48 hours as Rail, Maritime and Transport union and Aslef union members walk out. | All Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) services in Wales and parts of England will be cancelled for 48 hours as Rail, Maritime and Transport union and Aslef union members walk out. |
| Aslef said no-one from the company had been in contact to resume discussions. | Aslef said no-one from the company had been in contact to resume discussions. |
| However Arriva claimed it had made four offers to hold talks. | However Arriva claimed it had made four offers to hold talks. |
| The unions argue they are fighting to improve working practices for their drivers, describing conditions for them as "almost Dickensian" in some aspects. | The unions argue they are fighting to improve working practices for their drivers, describing conditions for them as "almost Dickensian" in some aspects. |
| They also say drivers in Wales are paid less than in other parts of the country and want parity with counterparts over the border. | They also say drivers in Wales are paid less than in other parts of the country and want parity with counterparts over the border. |
| Which routes are affected? | |
| All Arriva Trains Wales services are cancelled, with no replacement bus services. First Great Western services into south Wales as far as Swansea will run as normal, as will Virgin Trains across north Wales to Holyhead. Cross Country services between Cardiff and Nottingham and Derby will also run. | |
| The strike means there will be no services at all west of Swansea, no commuter trains from the south Wales valleys into Cardiff and Newport, no services between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth through mid Wales, between Shrewsbury and Swansea via Llandrindod Wells, between Pwllheli to Machynlleth or between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog. The Holyhead to Cardiff route is also suspended. | |
| The strike is likely to have an impact on travel to the Wales v Netherlands football international at Cardiff City stadium on Friday evening, which kicks off at 19.45 GMT, nearly four hours before the action is scheduled to end. | |
| Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, Aslef representative Andy Hudd said they would still be willing to meet the company, but added: "They have got to be meaningful negotiations. | Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, Aslef representative Andy Hudd said they would still be willing to meet the company, but added: "They have got to be meaningful negotiations. |
| "We have delayed putting on strikes for over three months, and the negotiations have been tough. We have moved an awful long way to arriving at a solution." | "We have delayed putting on strikes for over three months, and the negotiations have been tough. We have moved an awful long way to arriving at a solution." |
| 'No alternative' | 'No alternative' |
| The RMT said in a statement talks had failed and the strike would go ahead as planned. | The RMT said in a statement talks had failed and the strike would go ahead as planned. |
| General secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT officials have made every effort to resolve this dispute through negotiation, even postponing previous action in good faith so that management could return to the table with an improved offer. | General secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT officials have made every effort to resolve this dispute through negotiation, even postponing previous action in good faith so that management could return to the table with an improved offer. |
| "They have failed to do that and, therefore, we have been left with no alternative other than to regretfully press ahead with the strike action tomorrow." | "They have failed to do that and, therefore, we have been left with no alternative other than to regretfully press ahead with the strike action tomorrow." |
| Gareth Thomas, director of human resources at ATW, told BBC Wales they had been in talks since June and had agreed pay with other grades of workers in the company. | Gareth Thomas, director of human resources at ATW, told BBC Wales they had been in talks since June and had agreed pay with other grades of workers in the company. |
| "We are talking about some detailed terms and conditions now where we can't get some agreement with our drivers' union on the minutiae issues which is slightly frustrating because as far as we're concerned the talks are still ongoing, so calling the action this early is a bit of a surprise for us," he said. |