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Latest strike brings fresh chaos for Southern rail commuters Southern rail strike: Grayling offers to meet RMT union for talks
(about 4 hours later)
Southern rail commuters face further disruption as an overtime ban by train drivers and a strike by conductors started on Tuesday morning. The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, has offered to meet the RMT union if it suspends its industrial action in its dispute with Southern rail, as commuters on the troubled network suffered further disruption in the latest overtime ban by drivers and strike by conductors.
Members of the RMT are on strike for three days, while industrial action by Aslef members, including the refusal to work additional shifts, will run indefinitely.Members of the RMT are on strike for three days, while industrial action by Aslef members, including the refusal to work additional shifts, will run indefinitely.
Southern, which has admitted to parliament that it does not have enough drivers to operate its timetable, has told customers it expects services “to be severely disrupted on every day from Tuesday 6 December until further notice”.Southern, which has admitted to parliament that it does not have enough drivers to operate its timetable, has told customers it expects services “to be severely disrupted on every day from Tuesday 6 December until further notice”.
The company is hoping to run about 50% of scheduled trains this week, but has warned of “severe and significant disruption” and that “stations will be incredibly busy”. It has advised customers to avoid travelling if possible. Southern does not expect to run any trains on three days next week when drivers are planning to strike. The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said his union had been seeking talks with Grayling since he became secretary of state in June. “He has refused to meet us because we are taking industrial action,” Cash told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Asked if he would agree to suspend the strike if Grayling offered to meet the union, Cash said: “If he says he wants to meet us, I will certainly put that suggestion back to our executive, yes.”
Within an hour, Grayling said he would be meet the union if it suspended strikes. “Call it off and we will work together for the future of the railways,” he told Today.
But he made it clear that he sided with the company in the dispute and said it would be wrong for him to interfere in the negotiations. Grayling said: “I don’t think it is right and proper for me to insert myself into a negotiation between a private company and a trade union over a strike I think is politically motivated.”
Southern is changing the role of conductors and bringing in more driver-only operated trains, which unions argue threatens safety as well as jobs.
Grayling said the strike was unnecessary. He said: “I am very happy to meet the unions ... They don’t have to carry out this action. Nobody is losing their job, nobody is losing any money. It is perfectly safe as judged by the independent rail inspectorate. There is no reason for this strike to be happening.”
Southern is hoping to run about 50% of scheduled trains this week, but has warned of “severe and significant disruption” and that “stations will be incredibly busy”. It has advised customers to avoid travelling if possible. Southern does not expect to run any trains on three days next week when drivers are planning to strike.
“If passengers can make alternative travel arrangements they should, and if they don’t have to travel they shouldn’t,” Southern said.“If passengers can make alternative travel arrangements they should, and if they don’t have to travel they shouldn’t,” Southern said.
Southern’s owner, Govia Thameslink Railway, has launched legal action to block Aslef’s strike, and a hearing is due at the high court in London on Wednesday.Southern’s owner, Govia Thameslink Railway, has launched legal action to block Aslef’s strike, and a hearing is due at the high court in London on Wednesday.
The RMT union attacked the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, for refusing to hold direct talks to resolve the dispute. Southern is reforming the role of conductors and bringing in more driver-only operated trains, which unions argue threatens safety as well as jobs.
The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “It is crystal clear that the responsibility for sorting the total chaos on Southern rests with the transport secretary himself. He has repeatedly refused to meet with the trade unions to map out a way forwards.
“As general secretary of Britain’s specialist transport union I meet with ministers on a regular basis and it is frankly absurd that Chris Grayling has refused point blank to meet with us while the Southern rail dispute, which he has the power to settle as it is a direct management contract with the government, rages on. Running our railways by central government diktat is a recipe for disaster.”
More strikes by the RMT, along with the overtime ban, are planned in the run-up to Christmas and over the new year. A week-long strike by drivers will halt Southern operations again in January.More strikes by the RMT, along with the overtime ban, are planned in the run-up to Christmas and over the new year. A week-long strike by drivers will halt Southern operations again in January.