Posted 28th November 2019 | 1 Comment
SWR and RMT dispute talks move into second day
TALKS at ACAS between the RMT and South Western Railway broke up yesterday without agreement, but are continuing for a second day.
Neither side has yet made a formal statement, but SWR is continuing to prepare for almost a month of walkouts starting on 2 December. The RMT is in dispute with SWR over future plans for train staffing and the role of guards.
Reader Comments:
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Jez Milton, Manchester
There is no chance of RMT agreeing a reasonable settlement to this dispute, or that on Northern, or that on Merseyrail, or that in the West Midlands.
The union's position - and, a position clearly on the record - is that they will not accept a modernisation in working practices. Guards must always close the train doors, or else trains don't move. That's equivalent to saying, the rules of the 1930s have to be applied forever.
The reason drivers and guards don't post here in defence of the wave of strikes in recent years is that they know the strikes are political and indefensible, and they know passengers would benefit from the changes TOC managements are trying to implement.
10/10 Southern/GTR for winning your battle against the Luddites.