Talks between Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the RMT union have broken down, with the prospect of two separate bouts of strike action being inflicted on the troubled operator.
RMT and GTR, which owns Southern, had gone back to the negotiating table after a bitter row over driver-only operation saw industrial action cause major disruption across the network last week.
However RMT announced the talks with meditation service ACAS, had failed because the company rejected ‘out of hand’ the union’s proposals. RMT has released a full set of proposals that it says were tabled in the ACAS talks.
The union appears to have tried to side-step the issue of the role of conductors on trains, a role Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) would like to see become optional depending on a set of agreed circumstances – by creating a train services manager role.
RMT proposed: ‘Trains in service will be crewed and operated by two staff – a train driver and train services manager who will, in conjunction, have a suite of customer service, safety critical and operational competencies to operate trains, deliver the objectives of the business in regard to customer service, and provide a high level of accessibility on all services.
'The operating processes, frameworks and work instructions for trains in service will be clarified, set out and agreed by the relevant parties.’
GTR meanwhile has published an eight-point ‘compromise plan’ to end the strike, including calls for union agreement to ‘a proposed list of exceptional circumstances whereby a train can run without a second member of staff on-board’.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: ‘We had a golden opportunity in these talks to make some serious progress on the core issue of a second person on the train who would have protected the safety of passengers, delivered customer service and ensured access to services for those with disabilities or needing assistance.
‘It's a bitter blow that a firm set of union proposals that could have allowed us to move forward were rejected out of hand. The matter will be discussed by the union executive this afternoon.’
The RMT executive is still considering its next move, Transport Network understands.
Angie Doll, GTR passenger services director, said: 'We have guaranteed to have a second person on as many trains as today, but the union is rigidly refusing our offer to agree a list of exceptional circumstances when we would be able to run our trains without a second staff member on board, such as during disruption to still get people home. This would create the crucial flexibility we need to ensure fewer cancelled trains for our passengers.
'The fact is that, day in, day out for decades, up and down Britain’s railways and the Tube network, we’ve had the driver operating the doors, safely. This is backed up by independent research and expert opinion, including that of the Rail Safety and Standards Board.
'We will now move forward with our modernisation plans which will deliver better customer service for our passengers. Our eight-point proposal is still on the table and we urge the RMT to give this serious consideration.'
Ticket office closures
Meanwhile a second separate set of strikes involving different roles could be on the cards for GTR, as RMT members voted 70% in favour of industrial action over plans to close ticket offices.
In a statement, RMT said: ‘GTR want to close ticket offices, or cut them to morning peak only, at 83 stations from as far afield as Kings Lynn and Bognor Regis. As a means of doing this they plan to introduce a new multi-functional role of Station Host which RMT estimates will result in a cut of at least 130 jobs.’
RMT is still considering the result of this vote as well, and has not set any timetable for strikes.
GTR has vowed to move forward with its modernisation plans.
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