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Legal action to stop rail strike Legal attempt to stop rail strike
(about 2 hours 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. Network Rail is taking legal action in a bid to avert next week's planned strikes by signallers and maintenance staff 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. As talks were adjourned, Network Rail said it had served papers on the RMT over the validity of the signallers' ballot and was seeking a court ruling.
The RMT said the vote was "above board" and it would mount a "robust defence". The RMT said it would "fight this assault on our union to the hilt".
The conciliation service Acas, which is brokering talks between NR and the unions, said discussions would resume on Wednesday morning. The union's general secretary Bob Crow said: "I can confirm tonight that RMT is putting together an experienced legal team, including some of the most high-profile employment law experts in the country.
"We will be mounting the most robust defence possible in the High Court tomorrow against this attack by Network Rail on our internal democracy.
'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. "This is a scandalous attempt by Network Rail to use the full weight of the anti-union laws to deny our members their basic human right to withdraw their labour and we will fight this assault on our union to the hilt."
"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." An RMT spokesman earlier said the ballot of its members had been "perfectly above-board".
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. The spokesman added: "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."
The conciliation service Acas, which is brokering talks between Network Rail and the unions, said discussions would resume on Wednesday morning.
Network Rail's legal move has angered the RMT's Bob Crow
In a statement Network Rail 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.
Easter strike fearsEaster strike fears
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.
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.Mr Brown and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis have both urged the two sides to try to resolve the row.