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An offer to try to resolve the industrial dispute between Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the RMT is due to be withdrawn if the union goes ahead with a strike on Friday.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human resources director at GTR, said that the offer, which includes a £2,000 lump sum for affected staff, would be “withdrawn in its entirety” if RMT went ahead with the strike on of Southern conductors on 4 November.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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