7 August 2017
RMT Press Office:
RMT negotiations with Southern Rail stall as union proposes round table talks with all parties to break deadlock.
Talks between officials from rail union RMT and the parent company of Southern Rail have stalled this afternoon, leading to a call from RMT General Secretary Mick Cash for round table discussions involving all parties with a direct interest in a solution to the long-running guards’ and drivers’ disputes.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“RMT entered the talks in good faith today following our discussions with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.
“However, it is clear that there is a major blockage to making progress and that is the failure to get all parties around the table at the same time.
“RMT is proposing that we try to break the deadlock by getting both unions, the DfT and the company involved in round table discussions with everything on that table. Meeting in different rooms at different times simply isn’t working.
“RMT will be taking this proposal back to Chris Grayling and his officials with a request that they, as the contract holders, take action to broker those round table talks at the earliest possible opportunity. This dispute can be resolved, we have no doubt about that, and the fresh approach we have outlined today will allow us to kick start the talks process.”
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