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| Talks to avert Southern rail strikes end without agreement | Talks to avert Southern rail strikes end without agreement |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes on the Southern rail network have ended without agreement. | Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes on the Southern rail network have ended without agreement. |
| The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said the train operator had rejected a fresh set of proposals that could have resolved the dispute. | The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said the train operator had rejected a fresh set of proposals that could have resolved the dispute. |
| The first walkout is due to start next week, threatening fresh disruption to Southern's services. | The first walkout is due to start next week, threatening fresh disruption to Southern's services. |
| Parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) said it would press ahead with plans to modernise Southern. | |
| GTR had set a deadline of noon for the union to accept changes to the role of guards and its introduction of Driver Only Operation. | |
| The union said it had proposed a transition period which would allow the current safety duties of guards to be retained. | |
| Strike dates announced by the RMT: | Strike dates announced by the RMT: |
| "The union is angry and disappointed that a fresh set of proposals put forward that address both our issues and the company agenda have been rejected out of hand with barely a cursory glance," said RMT general secretary Mick Cash. | |
| "The travelling public will be rightly angry that the company have kicked back in our faces a chance to resolve this long-running dispute." | |
| GTR said it was deeply disappointed. | |
| "The RMT counter-proposal didn't come anywhere near our goals of modernising our train service for the benefit of passengers," said CEO Charles Horton. | |
| "What the RMT want to do is retain their power and control by insisting that our trains cannot run under any circumstances without a conductor on board, leading to more delays and cancellations. | |
| "I am incredibly sorry about the months of misery our passengers have suffered." | |
| Southern said nearly all 156 stations would have either a train or bus service of some kind on the strike days of 11, 12 and 13 October. | |
| It said it expected to run 61% of its normal, full, timetable. |