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| Southern strike: Planned six-day strike split into two | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A planned six-day strike by drivers on Southern rail from Monday has been split into two three-day stoppages, Aslef has said. | |
| The drivers' union said strikes would now be held on 10, 11 and 13 January, but not on other days next week. | The drivers' union said strikes would now be held on 10, 11 and 13 January, but not on other days next week. |
| General secretary Mick Whelan said the move did not mean the union was rolling back and warned of further strikes. | General secretary Mick Whelan said the move did not mean the union was rolling back and warned of further strikes. |
| Aslef said drivers would also strike on 24, 25 and 27 January and the overtime ban would continue. | |
| Southern's parent firm Govia Thameslink (GTR) is in dispute with Aslef and the RMT unions over the role of guards. | Southern's parent firm Govia Thameslink (GTR) is in dispute with Aslef and the RMT unions over the role of guards. |
| Services cancelled | Services cancelled |
| Mr Whelan said: "We are taking a longer-term view of this trade dispute. | |
| "The company has not been prepared to move - it is simply going through the motions, turning up at Acas, as it did yesterday, and telling us that it intends to impose [driver-only operated trains]. | |
| "We still believe a deal can be done but we are, at the moment, a long way from that position." | |
| A Southern spokesman described Aslef's announcement as "a cynical ploy to minimise the impact on drivers' pay packets and maximises misery, disruption and hardship for passengers". | |
| "Aslef's move shows pure contempt for the travelling public and it still causes massive disruption over next week. | "Aslef's move shows pure contempt for the travelling public and it still causes massive disruption over next week. |
| "These strikes are pointless and they should call the whole thing off and let common sense prevail," the spokesman added. | "These strikes are pointless and they should call the whole thing off and let common sense prevail," the spokesman added. |
| 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? |
| The politics behind the Southern rail dispute | The politics behind the Southern rail dispute |
| The company wants all trains to be driver-only-operated (DOO), where the driver, rather than the conductor, opens and closes the doors. | The company wants all trains to be driver-only-operated (DOO), where the driver, rather than the conductor, opens and closes the doors. |
| The unions disagree on the grounds of safety and fear the move is a long-term ploy to phase out a second person on services. | The unions disagree on the grounds of safety and fear the move is a long-term ploy to phase out a second person on services. |
| Mr Whelan said the union's executive would meet later this month and there was a "likelihood" more strikes would be called. | Mr Whelan said the union's executive would meet later this month and there was a "likelihood" more strikes would be called. |
| Verbally abused | Verbally abused |
| He added that members were "incredibly angry" at driver-only trains being extended without agreement and leaflets would be handed to passengers next week showing "blurred and dark" images of platforms as seen by drivers. | He added that members were "incredibly angry" at driver-only trains being extended without agreement and leaflets would be handed to passengers next week showing "blurred and dark" images of platforms as seen by drivers. |
| He said he had great sympathy with passengers and revealed some drivers had been verbally abused. | He said he had great sympathy with passengers and revealed some drivers had been verbally abused. |
| "Informal" talks at Acas between Southern and Aslef on Tuesday ended without agreement and there are currently no plans for any further meetings. | "Informal" talks at Acas between Southern and Aslef on Tuesday ended without agreement and there are currently no plans for any further meetings. |
| Mr Whelan said Aslef remained "committed to a negotiated settlement... but it is difficult to negotiate with people who are not prepared to be flexible". | Mr Whelan said Aslef remained "committed to a negotiated settlement... but it is difficult to negotiate with people who are not prepared to be flexible". |
| "It is time for the company to come up with a genuine offer rather than carry on posturing," he said. | "It is time for the company to come up with a genuine offer rather than carry on posturing," he said. |
| Passengers have suffered months of disruption because of industrial action, staff shortages and other problems. | Passengers have suffered months of disruption because of industrial action, staff shortages and other problems. |
| Aslef members are currently banning overtime which is leading to services being cancelled or delayed every day. | Aslef members are currently banning overtime which is leading to services being cancelled or delayed every day. |
| The RMT union, whose members are mostly conductors, has been taking industrial action since last April. | The RMT union, whose members are mostly conductors, has been taking industrial action since last April. |
| Its members held a three-day strike over the New Year weekend. | Its members held a three-day strike over the New Year weekend. |
| Rail minister Paul Maynard said fewer strikes would still cause "massive disruption" for passengers. | Rail minister Paul Maynard said fewer strikes would still cause "massive disruption" for passengers. |
| "I urge Aslef to call off these wholly unnecessary strikes and come to the table for talks. | "I urge Aslef to call off these wholly unnecessary strikes and come to the table for talks. |
| "This modern way of running trains has been safely used elsewhere in the UK for 30 years. | "This modern way of running trains has been safely used elsewhere in the UK for 30 years. |
| "There is no safety issue; the independent rail regulator has confirmed it is safe," he said. | "There is no safety issue; the independent rail regulator has confirmed it is safe," he said. |