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| Southern rail strikes set for Christmas and New Year's Eve | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Southern Railway workers are to stage strikes for three days from 22 December and three days from New Year's Eve. | Southern Railway workers are to stage strikes for three days from 22 December and three days from New Year's Eve. |
| The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced the strikes as part of the long running dispute over the role of conductors. | The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced the strikes as part of the long running dispute over the role of conductors. |
| Union members will strike from 00:01 on 22 December until 23:59 on Christmas Eve and again from 00:01 on New Year's Eve until 23:59 on 2 January. | Union members will strike from 00:01 on 22 December until 23:59 on Christmas Eve and again from 00:01 on New Year's Eve until 23:59 on 2 January. |
| A separate 48-hour strike is due to start at 00:01 on Friday. | A separate 48-hour strike is due to start at 00:01 on Friday. |
| 'Sheer pig-headedness' | 'Sheer pig-headedness' |
| Mick Cash, the RMT's general secretary said Southern's owners Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the government had no interest in resolving the long-running row. | Mick Cash, the RMT's general secretary said Southern's owners Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the government had no interest in resolving the long-running row. |
| "Yet again the sheer pig-headedness of the company and the government means that our members are being forced to take further industrial action in a bid to maintain a safe and secure service on Southern Rail," he said. | "Yet again the sheer pig-headedness of the company and the government means that our members are being forced to take further industrial action in a bid to maintain a safe and secure service on Southern Rail," he said. |
| A spokesman for Southern said: "Not content with causing months of misery, the RMT has now hit a new low and is determined to cancel Christmas for the travelling public. | |
| "These latest strikes will not just hit families wanting to get home for Christmas but also the shops and businesses for whom Christmas is their busiest time. | |
| "These strikes are spiteful, vindictive and pointless given the majority of conductors have now signed up to the new on-board role." | |
| 'Better service' | |
| RMT members are due to begin a 48-hour strike on the Southern network from midnight in a dispute over the introduction of driver-only operated (DOO) trains. | |
| The Rail Delivery Group which represents train operators said jobs and safety were not at risk and changes being adopted by Southern "will give passengers a better service". | |
| Earlier, the RMT said backdated holiday pay was being withheld from conductors who take part in strikes. | Earlier, the RMT said backdated holiday pay was being withheld from conductors who take part in strikes. |
| The union is seeking legal advice over a letter from GTR which says the company will withhold pay unless conductors have worked or will work normally during the dispute. | The union is seeking legal advice over a letter from GTR which says the company will withhold pay unless conductors have worked or will work normally during the dispute. |
| "We feel we cannot make these payments to conductors who are currently taking industrial action," the rail firm said. | "We feel we cannot make these payments to conductors who are currently taking industrial action," the rail firm said. |
| RMT strike dates: |