Sure, we know it’s a bit of a long-running row, and it’s something to do with conductors. but yeah, we need some help with the details.
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But there will still be some routes without trains and many others with limited services running between 0700hrs and 1800hrs.
During the strike, bosses are within their rights to discipline employees who persistently arrive late, but they do so at their peril, Limbin-Glassey says.
Will any jobs be lost if that happens though?
But why is the RMT opposed to the move then?
General secretary Mick Cash said: “Our action in defence of rail safety and the safety-critical role of the guard now goes ahead next week”.
Does the union accept the assurances on jobs?
The strike will run until Friday night in an escalating dispute over the role of conductors. “The RMT claimed support for the strike was “rock solid” when the reality is large numbers of conductors now recognise that this is a pointless strike”.
The union claims two staff members are safer than one and it fears job losses.
The union had offered to suspend industrial action if the company agreed to an offer like the one made by ScotRail in a similar dispute but Southern said this was a “red herring”.
Was any progress made at last week’s talks?
An Acas spokesman said: “After three days of talks at Acas, Southern Railway and RMT have been unable to reach agreement in respect of their dispute on the role of conductors”.
The proposed deal has not been accepted yet, but it was enough to suspend further strikes. No more talks are planned.
Here we try to explain the reasons for all the train disruption and the misery commuters are facing.
Southern had already cut 341 trains from its timetable because of staff shortages.
“We are seeing overcrowded trains, overcrowded platforms and we have got some genuine concerns about how they are going to operate in those circumstances”, he said.
Erm, how are passengers reacting to that?
The Campaign for Better Transport and a Southern passenger group Association of British Commuters plan to march from London Victoria station to the Department for Transport on Wednesday afternoon to hand in a “six foot letter”.
The National Express network covers a number of areas which are impacted by the Southern issues, including Brighton, Hastings, Worthing, Eastbourne, Broadstairs, Bexhill and Bognor Regis, and has seen the huge year-on-year increase during this week’s five-day strike period.
Is the government doing anything to resolve the dispute?
Theresa May “strongly condemns” the strike action, Downing Street said.
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He said there will be “punch-ups” with drivers when the Government changes their working hours to improve services.
