09.08.17
RMT calls on Grayling to urgently intervene in Southern dispute
The RMT has put further pressure on transport secretary Chris Grayling today as it penned an open letter calling for “urgent intervention” in its dispute with Southern.
Back in June, the RMT called for talks to be held as Grayling was reappointed into the Cabinet following the general election, but since then there has been no progress in bringing the three parties together.
It also follows GTR, the parent company of Southern, making offers to the union on Monday guaranteeing staffing and job security, as well as exceptional circumstances when trains would run without a second member of staff.
All of these measures were rejected by the RMT, who, according to GTR, were unwilling to discuss any of these things.
The letter from RMT general secretary Mick Cash to Grayling accused GTR of “deliberately misrepresenting” the union’s position.
“This development clearly reinforces my call yesterday for all sides to now meet together, around the same table, to see if we can jointly find a resolution to this dispute,” it said.
“Southern Rail are spinning lines which are a complete misrepresentation of the facts,” Cash added. “RMT attended talks with the company on Monday at the request of Chris Grayling and we set out a package of proposals for serious discussion that could have cleared the log-jam and paved the way for a solution to this long-running dispute.
“It was the company that knocked back our proposals flat and it is the company that are now selling the message that as far as they are concerned the talks process is over.”
But a spokesperson for GTR told RTM that the union had not come up with any new proposals to bring the bitter conflict to an end in Monday’s talks, and were unwilling to explore any aspects of the various offers that have been made to settle their dispute.
“Modernisation is urgently required to futureproof our railway,” they said. “Alongside investment in better infrastructure and new trains, this includes transforming working practices.
“We hope the RMT will get on board with these essential improvements to give our passengers the service they deserve.”
A DfT spokesman added that the government was doing everything it could to resolve the situation on Southern and get passengers the high-quality rail services that they deserved.
“We held constructive meetings with both Aslef and the RMT unions, which paved the way for GTR and the unions to restart their negotiations,” they explained. “We hope their discussions can bring an end to this dispute.”
Top Image: Nick Ansell PA Wire
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