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| Day one of rail strike talks ends | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Talks between unions and employers aimed at averting next week's planned four-day national rail strike have been adjourned until Tuesday. | |
| The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) are planning action from 6 April, which could hit 80% of services on average. | |
| The dispute is centred on Network Rail plans to cut 1,500 jobs and increase evening and weekend maintenance work. | |
| The talks are steered by conciliation service Acas. | |
| 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." |
| The talks are expected to continue until at least Tuesday before any announcement is made. | The talks are expected to continue until at least Tuesday before any announcement is made. |
| 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. | 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. |
| People need to be aware that if this strike goes ahead, a lot of services will be severely hit Robin Gisby, Network Rail | People need to be aware that if this strike goes ahead, a lot of services will be severely hit Robin Gisby, Network Rail |
| 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. |
| Robin Gisby, NR's director of operations and customer services, said: "We believe there is a settlement to be had. | Robin Gisby, NR's director of operations and customer services, said: "We believe there is a settlement to be had. |
| "We can't bank on the union to call off the strike, despite ongoing talks, and so we are now concluding our contingency plans with full details available later this week. | "We can't bank on the union to call off the strike, despite ongoing talks, and so we are now concluding our contingency plans with full details available later this week. |
| "Network Rail and the operators will do all we can to run as many trains as possible but people need to be aware that if this strike goes ahead, a lot of services will be severely hit." | "Network Rail and the operators will do all we can to run as many trains as possible but people need to be aware that if this strike goes ahead, a lot of services will be severely hit." |
| In a statement, the company added: "As an average across the country, only around 20% of passenger services are expected to run. | In a statement, the company added: "As an average across the country, only around 20% of passenger services are expected to run. |
| "Passengers should check with individual operators for more detail as this overall picture masks some routes and operators who will be able to run a near normal service between 7am and 7pm on the days of the strike." | "Passengers should check with individual operators for more detail as this overall picture masks some routes and operators who will be able to run a near normal service between 7am and 7pm on the days of the strike." |
| It is estimated that the worst hit routes could be the commuter lines into London Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and London Bridge, where only one-in-10 trains could be in operation. | It is estimated that the worst hit routes could be the commuter lines into London Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and London Bridge, where only one-in-10 trains 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. |
| 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. |
| Mr Crow said the RMT was determined to see its concerns addressed | Mr Crow said the RMT was determined to see its concerns addressed |
| 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 the plans would adversely affect railway safety - a claim disputed by Network Rail. | Unions say the 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. | 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. |