Southern rail commuters set for fresh travel misery as new five-day strike announced

Industrial action: Southern guards will strike for five days next month
PA
Hannah Al-Othman28 July 2016

Southern rail commuters are set for fresh travel misery after union leaders announced a new five-day strike.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out from August 8, causing fresh travel chaos.

Southern's services have been hit by delays and cancellations for several weeks because of industrial action.

The RMT said it had offered to put action by guards on hold for three months if the company agreed to suspend its proposals for driver-operated doors and allow talks to take place, but claims the offer was rejected.

Southern, owned by Govia Thameslink Railway, is planning to implement changes to the role of conductors on August 21.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "This action has been forced on us by the arrogance and inaction of Govia Thameslink and the Government, who have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute or in tackling the daily chaos on Southern.

"Our fight is with the company and the Government, who have dragged this franchise into total meltdown.

"We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains.

"It is disgraceful that neither the company nor the Government are prepared to engage and are looking to bully through the extension of driver-only operation and the attack on the guards set for 21st August.

"They should wake up and get round the table now as an urgent priority."

Govia Thameslink Railway chief operating officer Dyan Crowther said: "It is unacceptable that passengers are being made to suffer five days of disruption all because the RMT is refusing to accept necessary change.

"We are offering all our onboard staff a job, as valued members of our future operation, with no reduction in salary.

"We value the work of our staff, who are trying their best to deliver service levels that passengers expect.

"The sooner we can introduce the essential modernisation that our railways desperately need, the sooner we can stop the RMT from holding passengers to ransom.

"Contrary to the RMT's accusation, we have always been open to talks and remain so.

"Only this week we spoke with the General Secretary Mick Cash about further talks and he has been unwilling to enter into discussion."

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