SOUTHERN DISPUTE FAR FROM OVER - MORE STRIKES POSSIBLE
The dispute at Southern is far from over with more strikes expected to be considered by one of the unions this week.
It follows details of the settlement with the drivers union ASLEF being made public. The other union involved, the RMT, could well continue its strike action in addition to the 27 walk-outs it has called so far.
The Assistant General Secretary of the RMT, Steve Hedley, on his personal Facebook page says the deal is:"The most shocking sellout since the miners strike. RMT members have been betrayed. I urge ASLEF members to reject the deal."
The RMT will now review its position but more strikes are not being ruled out with the union warning it will 'fight this shocking betrayal with every tool at our disposal." RMT strikes mean around a third of the service or 600 trains a day have to be cancelled.
However, talks between the RMT and Southern are due this week.
The ASLEF deal includes:
Drivers to close train doors
Driver Only Operation agreed
Trains to have a second member of staff except in "exceptional services" like sickness or delays or an emergency or if a driver should happen to leave the other member of staff behind at a station in error.
Conductors can help as a type of look out to assist drivers in poor visibility but only if they agree.
Improvements to CCTV cameras where possible for drivers to monitor doors and train dispatch at stations.
Under the deal drivers will close train doors. While Southern says it will roster the new on-board supervisors (OBS) on all trains that previously had guards exceptions will be allowed for things like sickness or not being able to get to a service because of delays.
The RMT has always said there must always be a guaranteed"safety critical" second person on a train before it can run. By safety critical it means having a higher level of safety training than proposed by Southern.
Southern say in 'exceptional circumstances' it wants to be able to run trains with a driver only so it no longer has to cancel a train leaving passengers stranded.
It is this issue that has been central to the 27 days of strikes by guards. Drivers have also staged six days of action.
The deal will allow the new OSB to become in effect, lookouts for drivers in bad weather but only if they are happy to do so. CCTV cameras in the cab will also be improved, say union sources.
ASLEF members are voting on the proposal over the next two weeks.But it does appear Southern has got almost everything it wanted from the start of the nine month dispute.
The company says it is all about improving passenger service with the new OBS spending more time with customers. There are no job or pay cuts.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said; "This so-called agreement is a shocking and historical betrayal presided over by the TUC of not only the conductor grade and drivers, but also passengers, including disabled passengers, who have lost the guarantee of a second member of staff on their trains.
"This abysmal document lists a whole host of areas where a a train can leave without a second member of staff that will leave both the driver and passengers exposed and vulnerable and which also represents a thin end of the wedge that will lead to the de-staffing of trains.
"Loyal and dedicated conductors, who have fought for safety for over a year have had the legs kicked from under them by those who are supposed to be on their side. Passengers and staff alike have been sold out by a stitch up cooked up in Congress House by the TUC and the bosses whilst Southern, one of the most anti union and hated companies of recent times, is laughing all the way to the bank and have been given a free run to rip up the safety rule book in the name of profits."
This is not a deal it is a disgrace and the RMT dispute remains on and we will fight this shocking betrayal with every tool at our disposal."We remain available for talks "
In a personal letter to Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT union, Charles Horton, chief executive of GTR said his negotiating team was willing to meet "in a spirit of open and positive dialogue to explore the areas of difference between us with a view to resolving the dispute in the interests of our customers and employees".
Mr Horton also asked Mr Cash that: "these discussions be conducted without the threat of further industrial action hanging over them".GTR will now be contacting the union to make "the necessary arrangements" for the talks.
Commenting on the agreement with ASLEF, Mr Horton said:"We are pleased to have reached a deal with the ASLEF leadership. They were prepared to come to the table, with passengers liberated of any threat of strike action."
"Both parties arrived ready to listen, have an open mind and ready to do a deal and I am grateful to Mick Whelan and his Executive for the spirit they entered the talks and agreed a deal with us. I also recognise and respect that drivers will now vote on the agreement and I hope it will be given their green light. We would call on the RMT to follow that same consensual spirit and leadership and come to the table with the courage, confidence and conviction to settle their dispute for the benefit of passengers, the regional economy, their members and our employees."