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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/07/southern-railway-passengers-week-disruption-rmt-strike-union-five-day-walkout
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| Southern rail passengers face week of disruption because of RMT strike | Southern rail passengers face week of disruption because of RMT strike |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of thousands of rail passengers face a week of travel disruption because of a five-day strike in an escalating dispute over the role of conductors. | Hundreds of thousands of rail passengers face a week of travel disruption because of a five-day strike in an escalating dispute over the role of conductors. |
| The walkout by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at Southern rail begins on Monday. It follows the collapse of talks aimed at resolving the long-running row. | |
| Picket lines are expected across the train operator’s network, including London Victoria and Brighton. | Picket lines are expected across the train operator’s network, including London Victoria and Brighton. |
| Related: Five days of rail strikes to go ahead as Southern talks break down | Related: Five days of rail strikes to go ahead as Southern talks break down |
| An emergency timetable will be in place, with Southern saying it will run 60% of normal services this week. But some areas in Sussex will have no trains, while services that are operating are expected to be more packed than usual. | An emergency timetable will be in place, with Southern saying it will run 60% of normal services this week. But some areas in Sussex will have no trains, while services that are operating are expected to be more packed than usual. |
| Trains have been disrupted for weeks because of industrial action and a shortage of staff, which the company blamed on high levels of employee sickness. | Trains have been disrupted for weeks because of industrial action and a shortage of staff, which the company blamed on high levels of employee sickness. |
| The union has accused the government of sabotaging last week’s talks at the conciliation service Acas. | The union has accused the government of sabotaging last week’s talks at the conciliation service Acas. |
| Southern’s owner, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), said it had offered new assurances on jobs to the union, although it is pressing ahead with plans to change the role of conductors later this month. | Southern’s owner, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), said it had offered new assurances on jobs to the union, although it is pressing ahead with plans to change the role of conductors later this month. |
| The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “This action has been forced on us by the arrogance and inaction of Govia Thameslink and the government, who have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute or in tackling the daily chaos on Southern. | |
| “Our fight is with the company and the government who have dragged this franchise into total meltdown. We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains.” | “Our fight is with the company and the government who have dragged this franchise into total meltdown. We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains.” |
| GTR passenger service director Angie Doll said: “We have gone the extra mile with our compromise offer, but the RMT has made it clear they are not prepared to negotiate. They did not want to discuss the role of the onboard supervisor and remain rigidly opposed to evolving the role of onboard staff to focus more on customers. | |
| “We are deeply disappointed and angry on behalf of our passengers at this stance, which will cause misery for our passengers and untold damage to the local economy in the south-east. The RMT’s strike is unnecessary, unacceptable and unjustified.” |