A fresh attempt to break the deadlock in the Southern rail dispute has failed to stop the second three-day walkout in consecutive weeks, with conductors taking strike action from midnight.
Southern’s operator, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), said it would restore a £2,000 incentive for staff if controversial new onboard supervisor roles were accepted, and urged the RMT to ballot its members on the offer.
But the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union rejected what it described as a “bribe”, and insisted its action would go ahead.
Southern will attempt to run about three in five of the trains scheduled in its normal timetable during this week’s strikes. While commuters have grown used to mass cancellations and late-running trains on its routes, GTR claimed the effects of the strike were diminishing, saying that one in four conductors worked last week in spite of the three-day stoppage – a figure rejected by the RMT. Replacement buses will again be provided, despite GTR telling commuters none were available during strikes earlier this year.
Charles Horton, GTR’s chief executive, said: “There have been significant developments since the union tabled the original ballot to conductors over six months ago. In order to move things forward, I am asking the union to let conductors – the people at the heart of this matter – determine whether this dispute comes to an end or continues.”
The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “The company have been told repeatedly that money is not the issue and that the safety of passengers and staff is not for sale. RMT disputes the bogus figures on the number of staff working. Our reps at all locations report that morale is high and that support for the strike action remains rock solid.”
The transport secretary, Chris Grayling, told the transport select committee that the industrial relations situation at Southern was “hugely frustrating”.
He said he could not understand the union’s position, insisting: “I am not in the business of slashing the number of people working on the railways.”
Grayling said changing technology meant trains could operate safely without a conductor, and he repeated that “unofficial wildcat action” was adding to Southern’s problems.
Urged by Conservative MP Huw Merriman to help resolve the dispute in direct talks, he said: “I’m not convinced that’s for the best ... I think that could make things worse.”
While the RMT has accused the government of hiding behind GTR management in scrapping conductors, Grayling told the committee: “We’re not shaping the strategy, no.”
He added that Southern had been “too dysfunctional”, and said “the Network Rail team and GTR have not been working properly together ... there has not been a joined-up response”.
Last week, the committee issued a scathing report saying the data showed clearly that Southern had breached its contract and that ministers had failed to monitor the firm. But Grayling reiterated that stripping GTR of its franchise was not on the table, saying: “What would that change?”
