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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/dec/11/home-secretary-amber-rudd-turns-on-striking-southern-rail-workers
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| Amber Rudd turns on striking Southern rail workers Amber Rudd turns on striking Southern rail workers | |
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| Tory MPs including Amber Rudd, the home secretary, whose constituents have been affected by the disruption of Southern rail services, have stepped up their criticism of the continuing industrial action. | Tory MPs including Amber Rudd, the home secretary, whose constituents have been affected by the disruption of Southern rail services, have stepped up their criticism of the continuing industrial action. |
| Members of rail union Aslef will strike for three days this week in a move that the MP for Hastings and Rye branded totally unacceptable. The strikes will halt all Southern services, disrupting the 500,000 passengers who use its services in southern England every day. | Members of rail union Aslef will strike for three days this week in a move that the MP for Hastings and Rye branded totally unacceptable. The strikes will halt all Southern services, disrupting the 500,000 passengers who use its services in southern England every day. |
| Rudd said the strikes were resulting in misery for commuters. “It is totally unacceptable that our local area and communities will suffer further strikes over driver-only operated trains when they already run safely across much of the UK network and when current staff will take home the same pay following the changes proposed by the train company,” the Daily Telegraph reported her as saying. | Rudd said the strikes were resulting in misery for commuters. “It is totally unacceptable that our local area and communities will suffer further strikes over driver-only operated trains when they already run safely across much of the UK network and when current staff will take home the same pay following the changes proposed by the train company,” the Daily Telegraph reported her as saying. |
| “Southern’s plans, opposed by the unions, will lead to better journeys for passengers. I call on both sides to come together and bring an end to this miserable period of strikes and industrial action suffered by our constituents.” | “Southern’s plans, opposed by the unions, will lead to better journeys for passengers. I call on both sides to come together and bring an end to this miserable period of strikes and industrial action suffered by our constituents.” |
| Huw Merriman, the Tory MP for Bexhill and Battle, told the Telegraph the strike action was “totally selfish and unnecessary”. | Huw Merriman, the Tory MP for Bexhill and Battle, told the Telegraph the strike action was “totally selfish and unnecessary”. |
| He said: “This is utterly unfair on local rail users who have already endured years of travel misery and just want to be able to get to work. Our local businesses are suffering, as is our local tourist industry.” | He said: “This is utterly unfair on local rail users who have already endured years of travel misery and just want to be able to get to work. Our local businesses are suffering, as is our local tourist industry.” |
| Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Southern Rail, said he believed that it would be first time since 1994 that London Victoria to Brighton trains had been completely halted by strikes. | Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove and chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Southern Rail, said he believed that it would be first time since 1994 that London Victoria to Brighton trains had been completely halted by strikes. |
| “The prospect of not a single Southern train running on Tuesday will be a catastrophe for passengers, businesses and the wider economy during the busy Christmas period. There is now no end in sight to this misery,” he said. | “The prospect of not a single Southern train running on Tuesday will be a catastrophe for passengers, businesses and the wider economy during the busy Christmas period. There is now no end in sight to this misery,” he said. |
| “The government now offers the only way out of the situation, so ministers must stop hiding in the shadows of this dispute and become an active partner in finding a resolution.” | “The government now offers the only way out of the situation, so ministers must stop hiding in the shadows of this dispute and become an active partner in finding a resolution.” |
| A high court ruling last week refused to grant an injunction to prevent Aslef members striking, but Govia Thameslink Railway, the company that owns Southern, has appealed against the court’s decision. | A high court ruling last week refused to grant an injunction to prevent Aslef members striking, but Govia Thameslink Railway, the company that owns Southern, has appealed against the court’s decision. |
| Charles Horton, its chief executive, said: “Our passengers have suffered months of travel misery and we call again on the unions to call off their action and work with us to find a resolution to their dispute.” | Charles Horton, its chief executive, said: “Our passengers have suffered months of travel misery and we call again on the unions to call off their action and work with us to find a resolution to their dispute.” |
| Drivers from Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are due to strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this week, and for a further six days in January. | Drivers from Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are due to strike on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday this week, and for a further six days in January. |
| The RMT is embroiled in a bitter dispute over the role of conductors, while Aslef is opposed to driver-only trains. | The RMT is embroiled in a bitter dispute over the role of conductors, while Aslef is opposed to driver-only trains. |
| Aslef members have imposed an overtime ban for drivers, which is having a more significant effect than the parallel series of strikes by Southern’s conductors, who belong to the RMT. A shortage of drivers has left Southern reliant on voluntary overtime to fill rosters and many trains have been cancelled owing to a lack of crews. | Aslef members have imposed an overtime ban for drivers, which is having a more significant effect than the parallel series of strikes by Southern’s conductors, who belong to the RMT. A shortage of drivers has left Southern reliant on voluntary overtime to fill rosters and many trains have been cancelled owing to a lack of crews. |