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Rail strike threat talks starting | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
Talks between unions and employers aimed at averting a national rail strike are taking place in London. | |
The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) are planning four days of action from 6 April. | The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) are planning four days of action from 6 April. |
At the heart of the row are Network Rail plans to cut 1,500 jobs and increase evening and weekend work. | At the heart of the row are Network Rail plans to cut 1,500 jobs and increase evening and weekend work. |
The RMT plans to set out a proposed framework to resolve the dispute at the talks, which will be steered by the conciliation service, Acas. | The RMT plans to set out a proposed framework to resolve the dispute at the talks, which will be steered by the conciliation service, Acas. |
Network Rail has said it will continue to try to find a resolution but has not ruled out legal action to try to prevent the strike. | |
As far as we are concerned the talks will continue for as long as it takes Network Rail spokesman | |
If the walkout goes ahead, it would be the first national rail strike since 1994. | If the walkout goes ahead, it would be the first national rail strike since 1994. |
The discussions began at 1100 BST at an undisclosed location. | |
The talks are expected to continue until at least Tuesday before any announcement is made. | |
A Network Rail spokesman said: "As far as we are concerned the talks will continue for as long as it takes. We are committed to resolving the dispute by negotiation." | |
If no breakthrough is achieved, Network Rail says it will be issuing more details of contingency plans later in the week. | |
It is estimated that only one-in-five trains may run overall on some routes but on the commuter lines into London Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and London Bridge, only one-in-10 could be in operation. | |
Safety concerns | Safety concerns |
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis have both urged the two sides to try to resolve the row. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis have both urged the two sides to try to resolve the row. |
We are determined to secure a settlement which addresses all of the issues at the heart of our disputes with Network Rail Bob Crow, RMT general secretary | We are determined to secure a settlement which addresses all of the issues at the heart of our disputes with Network Rail Bob Crow, RMT general secretary |
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We go into the talks in a positive frame of mind and committed to reaching an agreement which protects safety-critical jobs, safe working practices and which delivers a secure future for both our members and the travelling public the length and breadth of the UK rail network. | RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We go into the talks in a positive frame of mind and committed to reaching an agreement which protects safety-critical jobs, safe working practices and which delivers a secure future for both our members and the travelling public the length and breadth of the UK rail network. |
"We are determined to secure a settlement which addresses all of the issues at the heart of our disputes with Network Rail." | "We are determined to secure a settlement which addresses all of the issues at the heart of our disputes with Network Rail." |
TSSA supervisors and RMT maintenance workers are set to walk out from 6 to 9 April, while RMT signal staff will strike from 0600-1000 and 1800-2200 on those days. | TSSA supervisors and RMT maintenance workers are set to walk out from 6 to 9 April, while RMT signal staff will strike from 0600-1000 and 1800-2200 on those days. |
The strike was announced on Thursday after a meeting between Network Rail and the RMT and TSSA failed to reach agreement. | The strike was announced on Thursday after a meeting between Network Rail and the RMT and TSSA failed to reach agreement. |
Network Rail has said it hopes to achieve the vast majority of the 1,500 job losses through voluntary redundancy. | Network Rail has said it hopes to achieve the vast majority of the 1,500 job losses through voluntary redundancy. |
Unions say their plans would adversely affect railway safety - a claim disputed by Network Rail. | Unions say their plans would adversely affect railway safety - a claim disputed by Network Rail. |
There were fears the strike would be called over Easter, but the unions said they deliberately avoided this in order not to disrupt the public over the bank holiday. | |
However, the start of the strike coincides with the day on which Mr Brown is widely expected to announce the date of the general election. | However, the start of the strike coincides with the day on which Mr Brown is widely expected to announce the date of the general election. |