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Southern rail and RMT to hold talks in bid to avert series of strikes Southern rail and RMT to hold talks in bid to avert series of strikes
(about 2 hours later)
Southern rail and union officials will hold talks on Thursday in an eleventh-hour bid to avert a series of strikes due to begin next week.Southern rail and union officials will hold talks on Thursday in an eleventh-hour bid to avert a series of strikes due to begin next week.
The rail franchise’s owner, Govia Thameslink, has fought a bitter battle with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union over proposed changes to the role of conductors and had set a deadline of Thursday for acceptance of its proposals.The rail franchise’s owner, Govia Thameslink, has fought a bitter battle with the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union over proposed changes to the role of conductors and had set a deadline of Thursday for acceptance of its proposals.
Before agreeing to new talks, Govia had said that if the deal was not accepted by midday on Thursday it would press on with changes “including the issuing of notice later this week to those conductors moving to the [on board supervisor] role”.Before agreeing to new talks, Govia had said that if the deal was not accepted by midday on Thursday it would press on with changes “including the issuing of notice later this week to those conductors moving to the [on board supervisor] role”.
A separate accord agreed between the RMT and Scottish franchise ScotRail on Wednesday raised hopes that the dispute at Southern would finally be resolved. The RMT’s general secretary, Mick Cash, had earlier written to Govia rejecting the company’s final offer but said he would still attend the talks.
ScotRail services have been hit by a series of strikes over proposals to introduce driver-only-operated electric trains from next year, in a dispute with close parallels to the row at Southern. “Additionally, my union shares our members’ concerns over your company’s obvious briefings to the media over the past few days that you will be sacking them this week,” he said in the letter.
The RMT said on Wednesday its ScotRail members had voted by 10 to one to accept a revised offer from ScotRail Alliance where drivers will open train doors but conductors will oversee closing them. “This really is a disgraceful way to treat hard-working people - your staff - and cannot be left without complaint.
The last-ditch talks aimed at staving off strikes come amid an ongoing row over Southern’s attempts to win support from commuters through an advertising campaign. “To find out from the media that my members are in danger of losing their jobs is no way for a 21st century employer to treat its workforce or handle a lawful dispute.”
A separate accord agreed between the RMT and the Scottish franchise ScotRail on Wednesday raised hopes that the dispute at Southern would finally be resolved.
ScotRail services have been hit by a series of strikes over proposals to introduce driver-only electric trains from next year, in a dispute with close parallels to the row at Southern.
The RMT said its ScotRail members had voted by 10 to one to accept a revised offer from ScotRail Alliance where drivers will open train doors, but conductors will oversee closing them.
The last-ditch talks between RMT and Southern come as a row continues over the firm’s attempts to win commuters’ support through an advertising campaign.
In the latest chapter of the dispute, Southern ordered managers to destroy “offensive” posters urging customers to “strike back” against the RMT after the campaign backfired.In the latest chapter of the dispute, Southern ordered managers to destroy “offensive” posters urging customers to “strike back” against the RMT after the campaign backfired.
An internal email sent to managers reads: “Due to the extremely negative public sentiment around the brand it has been decided to cancel this poster campaign. Could you please ensure all copies of the below posters are removed from display and destroyed immediately.”An internal email sent to managers reads: “Due to the extremely negative public sentiment around the brand it has been decided to cancel this poster campaign. Could you please ensure all copies of the below posters are removed from display and destroyed immediately.”
The posters encouraged commuters to send tweets to the RMT to oppose its strike plans. But the PR offensive backfired when angry commuters hijacked the campaign’s Twitter hashtag to criticise Southern for poor service and condemn its relations with staff. The posters encouraged commuters to send tweets to the RMT to oppose its strike plans, but the PR offensive backfired when angry commuters hijacked the campaign’s Twitter hashtag to criticise Southern for poor service and condemn its relations with staff.
The union said it had forced Southern to withdraw the posters “after a huge public backlash”, adding that some staff had been “abused and assaulted as a result of the company actions”. The union said it had forced Southern to withdraw the posters “after a huge public backlash”, and that some staff had been “abused and assaulted as a result of the company actions”.
The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “This is a despicable and nasty campaign designed by Southern to set their workforce up for abuse and assault. It is incitement pure and simple and we are now seeing the consequences. Cash, said: “This is a despicable and nasty campaign designed by Southern to set their workforce up for abuse and assault. It is incitement pure and simple and we are now seeing the consequences.
“Encouraging abuse of staff, who are doing nothing other than standing up for passenger safety, is a measure of this basket case outfit running Britain’s biggest rail franchise. We see today new advertisements in the newspapers, regardless of the massive cost involved. It is estimated the campaign budget is around half a million pounds, money that could have been spent on keeping the guards and resolving the dispute.” “Encouraging abuse of staff, who are doing nothing other than standing up for passenger safety, is a measure of this basket case outfit running Britain’s biggest rail franchise. We see today new advertisements in the newspapers, regardless of the massive cost involved.
But Govia Thameslink said although it was withdrawing the posters it was not ashamed of their message. “It is estimated the campaign budget is around £500,000, money that could have been spent on keeping the guards and resolving the dispute.”
Govia Thameslink said although it was withdrawing the posters it was not ashamed of their message.
“We continue to run the campaign as can be clearly seen by the press ads that are running all week. Feelings were running high after day one of the campaign and we decided, having taken on board comments from some passengers, not to display the posters at stations,” it said.“We continue to run the campaign as can be clearly seen by the press ads that are running all week. Feelings were running high after day one of the campaign and we decided, having taken on board comments from some passengers, not to display the posters at stations,” it said.
“But we make no apologies for this campaign – our aim was to get the debate going and let people know the truth that our plans to modernise the railway will guarantee jobs, pay and safety and keep a second member of staff on board all the trains where we currently have conductors.” “But we make no apologies for this campaignOur aim was to get the debate going and let people know the truth that our plans to modernise the railway will guarantee jobs, pay and safety and keep a second member of staff on board all the trains where we currently have conductors.”
The industrial dispute arose after Govia Thameslink announced plans to change the role of conductors to “on board supervisors”, which the RMT said would put passenger safety at risk.The industrial dispute arose after Govia Thameslink announced plans to change the role of conductors to “on board supervisors”, which the RMT said would put passenger safety at risk.
The franchise has been hit by months of disruption, cancellations and strikes, as well as the emergence of commuter activism, while the company battled with the union.The franchise has been hit by months of disruption, cancellations and strikes, as well as the emergence of commuter activism, while the company battled with the union.
Govia’s chief executive, Charles Horton, wrote to Cash on Monday, calling the dispute “pointless” and putting a deadline on an eight-point offer tabled in August. Govia’s chief executive, Charles Horton, wrote to Cash on Monday, calling the dispute pointless and putting a deadline on an eight-point offer tabled in August.
Horton had offered all conductors on the franchise a £2,000 bonus if the changes to their role were agreed, but had warned that the company could claw back the sum if the union continued to strike. Horton had offered all conductors on the franchise a £2,000 bonus if the changes to their role were agreed, but said the company could claw back the sum if the union continued to strike.