HS2

31.10.16

GTR to retract £2,000 offer if RMT doesn’t call off strike

An offer to try to resolve the industrial dispute between Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the RMT is due to be withdrawn if the union goes ahead with a strike on Friday.

Andy Bindon, human resources director at GTR, said that the offer, which includes a £2,000 lump sum for affected staff, would be “withdrawn in its entirety” if RMT went ahead with the strike on of Southern conductors on 4 November.

He said that the offer could not “continue indefinitely” as RMT continues to lead strikes despite being reported to have instructed its members to accept the new contract, which refers to GTR’s plans to expand driver-only operated services.

Bindon added: “There have now been 15 days of wholly unjustified strikes, with your union now set to inflict a further seven days of disruption and misery on passengers in the coming weeks.

“Your unnecessary action is continuing to have a material and negative impact on people's work and family lives as well the regional economy and I urge you to stop.”

GTR first made the offer earlier this month in a bid to get RMT to call off the first of a series of strikes covering 14 days between October and December.

It withdrew the deal, then restored it in an effort to avert a later strike.

The strike is due to run on 4 and 5 November, with RMT calling off action on 3 November to avoid disrupting the Royal British Legion Poppy Day.

Despite the operator’s pleas, Mick Cash, general secretary of RMT, insisted the strike would go ahead, saying: “This is just more threats and bullying from Southern Rail and does nothing at all to resolve the current safety dispute.

“It is also completely meaningless as the union has already rejected the £2,000 bribe to sell out safety and the company are well aware of that.”

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Comments

Lutz   31/10/2016 at 18:33

Not enough; GTR needs to withdraw their existing benefits given the damage they are causing to the company and to the customers.

Gabriel Oaks   03/11/2016 at 08:00

GTR run this management contract and if the arrangements were unsafe ORR would not permit them to operate and RSSB would be against. If these members of striking staff doesn't want to work then they should resign and take up another career so those who do want to work can take up these jobs.

Ray Gunn   03/11/2016 at 15:55

Now more strikes announced by a union that sadly appears to have lost its way. GTR needs more investment to introduce new trains to enable all of its Southern services to become driver-only operated (like its Thameslink services). Then this disruption can be brought to a close.

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