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| Southern strike: Union chief 'barred from rail talks' | Southern strike: Union chief 'barred from rail talks' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A rail union has reacted with fury after its leader said he was banned from talks aimed at ending strikes on the Southern network. | A rail union has reacted with fury after its leader said he was banned from talks aimed at ending strikes on the Southern network. |
| Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT, arrived at conciliation service Acas but said he was not allowed in. | Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT, arrived at conciliation service Acas but said he was not allowed in. |
| Nick Brown, chief operating officer of parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), said he had told Mr Cash they would be happy to meet him later. | Nick Brown, chief operating officer of parent company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), said he had told Mr Cash they would be happy to meet him later. |
| Talks were held with the drivers' union Aslef as a strike entered day two. | |
| After negotiations ended on Wednesday, Aslef chief Mick Whelan said progress had been made, but a strike on Friday would still go ahead. | |
| And GTR issued a statement that said: "Talks have adjourned for today. We are reconvening tomorrow at Acas." | |
| The 48-hour strike on Tuesday and Wednesday by members of the drivers' union Aslef over the introduction of driver-only trains is due to end at midnight. | |
| Southern advised passengers not to travel. | |
| 'Complete contempt' | 'Complete contempt' |
| Earlier, Mr Cash said the RMT, which represents conductors, had been expecting discussions but instead "have had the door slammed in our faces". | |
| "Southern rail were fully aware last night that I would be attending the talks this morning at Acas alongside our Aslef colleagues. | "Southern rail were fully aware last night that I would be attending the talks this morning at Acas alongside our Aslef colleagues. |
| "This morning, on arrival for the talks, I was told that I would not allowed to take part by representatives from the company. | "This morning, on arrival for the talks, I was told that I would not allowed to take part by representatives from the company. |
| "RMT is furious at the complete contempt that has been shown to us by Southern rail this morning which leaves us in a state of limbo when we should all be around the table thrashing out the issues that have led to the current action," he said. | "RMT is furious at the complete contempt that has been shown to us by Southern rail this morning which leaves us in a state of limbo when we should all be around the table thrashing out the issues that have led to the current action," he said. |
| Mr Brown also said he had told Mr Cash they would be happy to to talk about any new proposals he had, adding: "I also asked him to call off their programme of strikes planned for Christmas and new year." | Mr Brown also said he had told Mr Cash they would be happy to to talk about any new proposals he had, adding: "I also asked him to call off their programme of strikes planned for Christmas and new year." |
| GTR said Aslef represented nearly 1,000 Southern drivers, while the RMT represented only 12. | GTR said Aslef represented nearly 1,000 Southern drivers, while the RMT represented only 12. |
| A limited Gatwick Express shuttle service to and from London Victoria is operating every 30 minutes and Thameslink is operating a normal timetable. | A limited Gatwick Express shuttle service to and from London Victoria is operating every 30 minutes and Thameslink is operating a normal timetable. |
| Southern was forced to cancel more than 2,200 services on Tuesday, disrupting hundreds of thousands of passengers. | Southern was forced to cancel more than 2,200 services on Tuesday, disrupting hundreds of thousands of passengers. |
| A further 24-hour strike is planned for Friday. | A further 24-hour strike is planned for Friday. |
| Southern strikes: Latest live updates | Southern strikes: Latest live updates |
| The RMT union, which has been staging separate strikes since April over changes to the role of conductors, is also planning further stoppages either side of Christmas. | The RMT union, which has been staging separate strikes since April over changes to the role of conductors, is also planning further stoppages either side of Christmas. |
| GTR has advised customers not to travel on the dates affected by the drivers' strike, and to expect disruption every day until further notice because of an overtime ban. | GTR has advised customers not to travel on the dates affected by the drivers' strike, and to expect disruption every day until further notice because of an overtime ban. |
| Analysis by Helen Catt, BBC South East Political Editor | Analysis by Helen Catt, BBC South East Political Editor |
| This dispute is a particularly tricky one to crack, not least because of the unique way the Southern franchise works. | This dispute is a particularly tricky one to crack, not least because of the unique way the Southern franchise works. |
| The government pays Govia Thameslink billions of pounds to run Southern, but the company keeps all the money raised from tickets itself. | The government pays Govia Thameslink billions of pounds to run Southern, but the company keeps all the money raised from tickets itself. |
| It's an unusual arrangement which came about because disruption from engineering works at London Bridge posed a big financial risk to any train company taking on the Southern routes. | It's an unusual arrangement which came about because disruption from engineering works at London Bridge posed a big financial risk to any train company taking on the Southern routes. |
| What it also means is that the government has significant influence on the contract and it is understood to be very keen to push through Driver Only Operation (DOO). | What it also means is that the government has significant influence on the contract and it is understood to be very keen to push through Driver Only Operation (DOO). |
| With the loss of revenue on tickets, thought to be £38m by the end of the year, borne by the taxpayer, Southern arguably has less incentive than other companies to end the strikes. | With the loss of revenue on tickets, thought to be £38m by the end of the year, borne by the taxpayer, Southern arguably has less incentive than other companies to end the strikes. |
| And on the union side, they know their action can't stop the rollout of DOO on Southern, which will actually be complete in a couple of weeks' time. | And on the union side, they know their action can't stop the rollout of DOO on Southern, which will actually be complete in a couple of weeks' time. |
| But they don't agree with it and really want it reversed, so there is no deadline after which their industrial action becomes redundant. | But they don't agree with it and really want it reversed, so there is no deadline after which their industrial action becomes redundant. |
| Add this to the fact that the government won't be in the room at Acas and it looks like it could be pretty tough to get a resolution. | Add this to the fact that the government won't be in the room at Acas and it looks like it could be pretty tough to get a resolution. |
| On Tuesday transport secretary Chris Grayling dubbed the action a "deliberate act of militancy" and claimed Aslef had warned him to expect "10 years of industrial action" at a meeting in September. | On Tuesday transport secretary Chris Grayling dubbed the action a "deliberate act of militancy" and claimed Aslef had warned him to expect "10 years of industrial action" at a meeting in September. |
| He further accused unions of "deliberately trying to bring [the railway] to its knees" and dismissed claims the strike was about commuter safety as "palpable nonsense". | He further accused unions of "deliberately trying to bring [the railway] to its knees" and dismissed claims the strike was about commuter safety as "palpable nonsense". |
| The government also said it may consider banning strikes on the railways. | The government also said it may consider banning strikes on the railways. |
| London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said the government should stop "playing party politics" and "get a grip". | London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said the government should stop "playing party politics" and "get a grip". |
| He said Mr Grayling was "playing party politics with commuters". | He said Mr Grayling was "playing party politics with commuters". |
| "I share the anger and frustration of commuters. My message to the trade unions is get back round the table and sort this out through Acas," the London Mayor said. | "I share the anger and frustration of commuters. My message to the trade unions is get back round the table and sort this out through Acas," the London Mayor said. |
| "My message to the government is 'get your head out of the sand, get a grip and let's sort this out'. | "My message to the government is 'get your head out of the sand, get a grip and let's sort this out'. |
| "Govia has been taking the government and passengers for a ride now for years." | "Govia has been taking the government and passengers for a ride now for years." |
| "It can't be beyond the wit of the government to get their head out of the sand and get a grip." | "It can't be beyond the wit of the government to get their head out of the sand and get a grip." |
| The politics behind the Southern rail dispute | The politics behind the Southern rail dispute |
| What's the Southern Rail strike about? | What's the Southern Rail strike about? |
| How bad have Southern rail services got? | How bad have Southern rail services got? |
| Southern planned rail strike dates | Southern planned rail strike dates |
| 00:01 Tuesday 13 December to 23:59 Wednesday 14 December (Aslef) | 00:01 Tuesday 13 December to 23:59 Wednesday 14 December (Aslef) |
| 00:01 Friday 16 December to 23:59: Friday 16 December (Aslef) | 00:01 Friday 16 December to 23:59: Friday 16 December (Aslef) |
| 00:01 Monday 19 December to 23:59 Tuesday 20 December (RMT) | 00:01 Monday 19 December to 23:59 Tuesday 20 December (RMT) |
| 00:01 Saturday 31 December to 23:59 Monday 2 January (RMT) | 00:01 Saturday 31 December to 23:59 Monday 2 January (RMT) |
| 00:01 Monday 9 January to 23:59: Saturday 14 January (Aslef) | 00:01 Monday 9 January to 23:59: Saturday 14 January (Aslef) |
| Are you a commuter who has been impacted by the disruption on Southern rail services? Or are you an employer whose staff have been struggling to get to work? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your views and experiences. | Are you a commuter who has been impacted by the disruption on Southern rail services? Or are you an employer whose staff have been struggling to get to work? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your views and experiences. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |