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Southern in legal bid to stop strike,RMT says Southern in legal bid to stop strike, RMT says
(about 1 hour later)
Southern rail is taking legal action to try to stop a series of strikes from Tuesday, The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has said. Southern is taking legal action to try to stop a series of rail strikes from Tuesday.
The rail operator is locked in a dispute with the union over plans to allow drivers to open and close train doors. The RMT union revealed it had received a legal challenge just hours before the start of a three-day walkout.
Talks aimed at averting planned strikes ended without agreement last week. Southern said in a statement it was "considering all possible options to stop the strike and that includes a legal challenge".
The union said the train operator had rejected a fresh set of proposals that could have resolved the dispute. Talks aimed at averting the strikes over changes to the role of conductors ended without agreement last week.
Southern has been contacted for comment. The RMT said it intended to continue with the planned action but was examining the paperwork.
'Appalling'
The strike is due to begin from one minute past midnight on Tuesday, causing fresh travel misery for passengers.
In talks last week, the RMT said the train operator had rejected a fresh set of proposals that could have resolved the dispute.
But Govia Thameslink CEO Charles Horton said the RMT counter-proposal "didn't come anywhere near our goals of modernising our train service for the benefit of passengers".
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT can confirm the receipt of a formal legal challenge from Southern Rail in the guards safety dispute.
"It is appalling that rather than sitting down with us at Acas today to seek a resolution the company has chosen to run to the courts under the cloak of the anti-union laws."
On Sunday, it emerged rail staff had been advised by union bosses to accept the new contracts.
The RMT said there was "no climb down" but it was their duty to protect staff against mass sackings.
A Southern spokesman said: "On Friday they told their conductor members to accept a deal and then tomorrow they plan to strike against it.
"It is a situation which will leave our passengers baffled and in that context we are presently considering all possible options to stop the strike.
"We have written to the RMT about the validity of the dispute in light of recent developments.
"We await their response and will consider all possible options to stop the strike and that includes a legal challenge."
Strike dates announced by the RMT:Strike dates announced by the RMT: