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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Legal action to stop rail strike | Legal action to stop rail strike |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Network Rail is taking legal action in a bid to avert planned strikes by signallers and maintenance staff in a row over job cuts and work changes. | |
| The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) are planning a four-day walkout from 6 April. | The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) are planning a four-day walkout from 6 April. |
| As peace talks were adjourned, NR said it had served papers on the RMT over the validity of the signallers' ballot and was seeking a High Court ruling. | |
| The RMT said the vote was "above board" and it would mount a "robust defence". | The RMT said the vote was "above board" and it would mount a "robust defence". |
| The conciliation service Acas, which is brokering talks between NR and the unions, said discussions would resume on Wednesday morning. | |
| 'Sabotaged' | 'Sabotaged' |
| An RMT spokesman said: "We have spent two days in talks making some significant progress, only to find the progress has been sabotaged by a threat of Network Rail to use anti-trade union laws to drag us into court tomorrow. | An RMT spokesman said: "We have spent two days in talks making some significant progress, only to find the progress has been sabotaged by a threat of Network Rail to use anti-trade union laws to drag us into court tomorrow. |
| "We have conducted a perfectly above-board ballot of our members. Our legal team is going through the papers tonight and we will announce the most robust defence of our legal position." | "We have conducted a perfectly above-board ballot of our members. Our legal team is going through the papers tonight and we will announce the most robust defence of our legal position." |
| In a statement NR said it had a "responsibility to all our passengers and freight users, and to the country as a whole, to do everything we can to avert a strike. | In a statement NR said it had a "responsibility to all our passengers and freight users, and to the country as a whole, to do everything we can to avert a strike. |
| "Talks continue and our aim is a negotiated settlement, but we must explore all avenues at our disposal and that includes legal ones." | "Talks continue and our aim is a negotiated settlement, but we must explore all avenues at our disposal and that includes legal ones." |
| It said the legal papers served on the RMT highlighted "scores of discrepancies and inaccuracies" in the signallers' ballot and would be raised at a hearing on Wednesday. | It said the legal papers served on the RMT highlighted "scores of discrepancies and inaccuracies" in the signallers' ballot and would be raised at a hearing on Wednesday. |
| The dispute centres on Network Rail plans to cut 1,500 jobs and increase evening and weekend maintenance work. | The dispute centres on Network Rail plans to cut 1,500 jobs and increase evening and weekend maintenance work. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| It is estimated one in five trains could be affected on average but that the worst-hit routes could be the commuter lines into London Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and London Bridge, where only one-in-10 services could be in operation. | It is estimated one in five trains could be affected on average but that the worst-hit routes could be the commuter lines into London Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and London Bridge, where only one-in-10 services could be in operation. |
| Easter strike fears | Easter strike fears |
| 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 Prime Minister Gordon Brown is widely expected to announce the date of the general election. | However, the start of the strike coincides with the day on which Prime Minister Gordon Brown is widely expected to announce the date of the general election. |
| Mr Brown and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis have both urged the two sides to try to resolve the row. |