The boss of Southern trains has stepped up his attacks on the RMT union, accusing it of repeatedly misleading the staff it represents, as hopes were dashed of fresh talks to bring an early end to this week’s strike.
Writing in the Guardian, Charles Horton, the chief executive of Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates the Southern franchise, blamed the RMT for the collapse of talks last week and said its “intransigent and self-interested attitude” was at the root of the current problems.
Horton did say: “In recent months travelling on Southern trains has been a nightmare.” But he pointed the finger again at the RMT for “an unprecedented and bizarre epidemic of staff sickness [that] has left us unable to run the service people expect”.
Horton said that proposed changes to the role of the conductors on Southern trains had been deemed safe by rail standards authorities, and jobs were guaranteed, so he was mystified why they were “causing the RMT to unleash such misery on passengers”.
He added: “Some have suggested the real reason for their disproportionate reaction is that they fear a loss of their own power and control, and want to maintain their ability to stop services.”
He said one in five conductors had worked this week in defiance of the strike, and praised staff as “overwhelmingly diligent and hard-working, and they care deeply about the rail service they provide”.
But Horton added: “They are being led astray, and misled repeatedly, by a trade union acting in its own narrow, selfish interests and ignoring the interests of either commuters or their members.”
He repeated an offer to meet. But the RMT said that its own offer to meet, without preconditions, had in effect been rejected as Southern management was demanding to discuss terms only once the principle of proposed changes to the operation of doors – a technicality at the heart of the dispute – was accepted.
The union’s general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “Their position is that we can discuss anything we like as long as it’s only what they want to discuss. That makes a mockery of the negotiation process and proves that they have no intention of ending this dispute regardless of the cost.”
Labour and the TUC, meanwhile, called on the government to urge GTR to restart talks. Andy McDonald, the shadow transport secretary, said GTR should “urgently accept the offer of RMT to enter into immediate unconditional talks”. He said Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, should act at once, adding: “All he needs to do is pick up the phone to GTR and rail services can be restored in time for tomorrow’s rush hour. The long-suffering passengers will not understand why a government minister would do anything other than encourage all parties to embrace this opportunity.”
The TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said: “Hundreds of thousands of commuters will be wondering today why Southern rail is refusing to talk. And rail workers would far rather negotiate than strike. The government must send a clear message to Southern rail that they expect public service companies to sit down and negotiate instead of prolonging a dispute.”
Grayling and the rail minister, Paul Maynard, have ruled out direct talks between the government and the unions, but even some Conservatives now believe that such action could be necessary.
Huw Merriman, a member of the transport select committee and the MP for Bexhill and Battle, whose constituents have been badly affected by the dispute, said Southern alone could not offer the guarantees on the future role of guards.
He added: “I can understand the reluctance to pander to the RMT. But the situation is now so serious, and affecting the lives of so many commuters, that the government needs to be directly involved.”
The strike, which started on Monday, has resulted in about 60% of normal services running. The train drivers’ union Aslef has also given notice of a ballot for industrial action, which could mean further strikes on Southern next month.
