This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37611787
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| Southern Rail strike: Passengers plead for end to 'chaos' | Southern Rail strike: Passengers plead for end to 'chaos' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Passengers are enduring overcrowding, delays and chaos on Southern trains as a strike by RMT union members continues. | Passengers are enduring overcrowding, delays and chaos on Southern trains as a strike by RMT union members continues. |
| The 72-hour walkout is due to go on until Friday, despite the RMT advising members to sign new contracts. | The 72-hour walkout is due to go on until Friday, despite the RMT advising members to sign new contracts. |
| Passenger group Transport Focus said commuters were fed up and wanted services to get back to normal. | Passenger group Transport Focus said commuters were fed up and wanted services to get back to normal. |
| The RMT said the strike was "rock solid", while Southern said it was running 61% of its normal timetable. | The RMT said the strike was "rock solid", while Southern said it was running 61% of its normal timetable. |
| Fresh talks are to be held on Wednesday in a bid to end the dispute. | Fresh talks are to be held on Wednesday in a bid to end the dispute. |
| The RMT has held a series of walkouts since April over the role of conductors on Southern services. | The RMT has held a series of walkouts since April over the role of conductors on Southern services. |
| But, Transport Focus spokesman Anthony Smith said passengers had "lost the plot as to what the original rights and wrongs of the dispute actually were". | But, Transport Focus spokesman Anthony Smith said passengers had "lost the plot as to what the original rights and wrongs of the dispute actually were". |
| "It has become so bitter and protracted," he said. | "It has become so bitter and protracted," he said. |
| In a letter to RMT general secretary Mick Cash, Southern CEO Charles Horton said: "I'm prepared to free my diary from tomorrow morning onwards to meet and to show your serious intent, I would like the RMT to call off the rest of the strike action planned for this week." | In a letter to RMT general secretary Mick Cash, Southern CEO Charles Horton said: "I'm prepared to free my diary from tomorrow morning onwards to meet and to show your serious intent, I would like the RMT to call off the rest of the strike action planned for this week." |
| Mr Cash said talks were a golden opportunity to break the deadlock. "The RMT will be at the talks," he said. | Mr Cash said talks were a golden opportunity to break the deadlock. "The RMT will be at the talks," he said. |
| Analysis by BBC South East Political Editor Helen Catt | Analysis by BBC South East Political Editor Helen Catt |
| The RMT thinks having new on-board supervisors on the trains instead of conductors will lower safety standards. | The RMT thinks having new on-board supervisors on the trains instead of conductors will lower safety standards. |
| Southern says they will be "safety trained", rather than "safety critical" and there is a grey area over the difference. | Southern says they will be "safety trained", rather than "safety critical" and there is a grey area over the difference. |
| The two sides don't seem to be coming any closer together. | The two sides don't seem to be coming any closer together. |
| The row is getting increasingly bitter and it doesn't look as if there is any quick resolution to this. | The row is getting increasingly bitter and it doesn't look as if there is any quick resolution to this. |
| Passengers have been venting their frustration on social media. | Passengers have been venting their frustration on social media. |
| Martin Still tweeted: "I've forgotten what they are arguing about and bored with it all now - perhaps just sack everyone, managers and strikers and start again." | Martin Still tweeted: "I've forgotten what they are arguing about and bored with it all now - perhaps just sack everyone, managers and strikers and start again." |
| Liam Mustapha posted: "Cant get to school today because of @SouthernRailUK strike today. I don't think I or other commuters can take this any longer. #southernfail." | Liam Mustapha posted: "Cant get to school today because of @SouthernRailUK strike today. I don't think I or other commuters can take this any longer. #southernfail." |
| Earlier train services between Brighton and Gatwick Airport via Balcombe were disrupted because of over-running engineering work by Network Rail as a result of a broken down engineers' train. | Earlier train services between Brighton and Gatwick Airport via Balcombe were disrupted because of over-running engineering work by Network Rail as a result of a broken down engineers' train. |
| Russell Woollen said: "@SouthernRailUK why risk doing engineering works before a day like this?? You can't make it up. Appalling." | Russell Woollen said: "@SouthernRailUK why risk doing engineering works before a day like this?? You can't make it up. Appalling." |
| Southern, which runs trains linking parts of Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire with London, is introducing driver-only operation and wants conductors to accept new on-board supervisor positions. | Southern, which runs trains linking parts of Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire with London, is introducing driver-only operation and wants conductors to accept new on-board supervisor positions. |
| The RMT revealed it had received a legal challenge to the strike hours before the start of the walkout, but said it would go ahead while it examined the details. | The RMT revealed it had received a legal challenge to the strike hours before the start of the walkout, but said it would go ahead while it examined the details. |
| The union previously advised conductors to accept new contracts to "protect their position" - but said it would seek to overturn them. | The union previously advised conductors to accept new contracts to "protect their position" - but said it would seek to overturn them. |
| Mick Lynch, the assistant secretary general of the RMT, told the BBC: "We're sorry that people in London and the South East have got to put up with this. | Mick Lynch, the assistant secretary general of the RMT, told the BBC: "We're sorry that people in London and the South East have got to put up with this. |
| "If the company gets round the table and we can hammer out a deal which we think is reasonable, then we can call off these strikes and get everyone back to work." | "If the company gets round the table and we can hammer out a deal which we think is reasonable, then we can call off these strikes and get everyone back to work." |
| Strike dates announced by the RMT: | Strike dates announced by the RMT: |
| Mayor of Seaford Lindsay Freeman said the south coast town's summer tourist trade had dropped and some commuters had given up jobs in London because of the strikes. | Mayor of Seaford Lindsay Freeman said the south coast town's summer tourist trade had dropped and some commuters had given up jobs in London because of the strikes. |
| Ms Freeman said she was very concerned about the impact of a strike planned for 5 November, when up to 40,000 people travel to bonfire celebrations in the East Sussex town of Lewes. | Ms Freeman said she was very concerned about the impact of a strike planned for 5 November, when up to 40,000 people travel to bonfire celebrations in the East Sussex town of Lewes. |