22.09.16
RMT announces 14 days of strikes across Southern
Southern rail services will face 14 days of strikes between now and Christmas as part of an escalating dispute with RMT.
The union has called the strikes in protest against Southern’s plans to take away conductors’ powers to operate doors, which it claims are a safety risk and will lead to conductors losing their jobs.
The strikes will take place in five blocks: the first on 11-13 and 18-20 October, then 3-5 and 22-23 November, and finally 6-8 December.
Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT, said: “Yet again our members are being forced to take industrial action in a bid to maintain a safe and secure service on Southern. Govia Thameslink and the government have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute.
“Instead they have begun the process of bulldozing through the drive towards wholesale Driver Only Operation (DOO) without agreement and without any concern for the impact on safety, security and disability access.”
He added that last week’s train derailment at Watford would have had “far worse” consequences if not for the actions of guards in protecting the passengers and trains.
The strike action programme is the biggest yet in a series of strikes RMT has held, or threatened to hold, this year, with the most recent taking place earlier this month.
Angie Doll, GTR’s passenger services director, said: “The RMT’s desire to heap yet further travel misery on the public and affect the everyday lives of so many people is shameful.
“A comprehensive and fair offer has been on the table for weeks and the union leadership’s claims about jobs, pay, safety are trumped-up make believe. This scaremongering by the RMT union is a contrived attempt to gain public support when it knows its spurious arguments about jobs, pay, accessibility and safety have been demolished by independent experts and analysis and are falling on deaf ears.
“As a responsible operator, our priority is to make our services more accessible, not less, and we will not be shaken in that commitment. We care deeply about those of our customers who are less mobile and help thousands of elderly and disabled customers week in, week out, to travel with us. We will do everything we can to ensure those needing help getting on and off our trains receive our care and attention to get them where they want to be, promptly and hassle-free.
“We’ve always said we are ready, willing and able to sit down and discuss how best we implement our modernisation plans and give our customers the services they expect and deserve. The RMT has to stop being the problem and get on board - finally - and be part of the solution. Everyone is sick and tired of the union’s posturing and it has to stop, and stop now. It’s what the public want.”
Despite efforts at talks, Southern has pushed ahead in implementing DOO as planned, saying it has been found to be safe by the RSSB and that no jobs will be lost.
The strikes have contributed to severe delays on Southern, which had to cancel 341 services a day to try to get control of its timetable, although it has promised to restore them.
(Image c. RMT)
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