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Southern strikes suspended for new DOO talks

Following an offer from the RMT to suspend the action if Southern returned to talks without any preconditions, Acas announced that the strike will be suspended.

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The train drivers’ union Aslef has also given notice of a ballot for industrial action, which could mean further strikes on Southern next month.

A spokesman from Eurostar, which runs services between the capital and mainland Europe, said the company’s focus has been to seek a joint resolution with unions.

In a long-running dispute workers will strike over two weekends in August totalling seven days.

David Horne, Virgin Trains managing director on the East Coast, said: “We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place and I want to reassure our customers that the timetable will be unaffected, should any strike go ahead”.

Southern published full details of an eight-point written offer to the union which was tabled during talks at conciliation service Acas last week, which collapsed without agreement.

Strikes by Southern Rail workers could be suspended if the company agree to new talks, the RMT union has said.

Southern Railway staff have called off the final two days of their mammoth strike.

Eurostar said that it would make some “small changes” to the timetable as a result.

General secretary Mick Cash told members: “The National Executive Committee has had time to consider this matter and have acknowledged that some progress is being made”.

RMT Assistant General Secretary Mick Lynch told BBC Radio: “Our members are sick and exhausted of waiting for this…”

“Our members have every right to have a fair work-life balance that fulfills the operational needs of the company while guaranteeing quality time off for friends and family”, the statement said, adding that 95 percent of members had voted in favor of the strike action.

The RMT had said they wanted a discussion with no pre-conditions.

” This strike has to stop and has to stop now”.

Separately, the RMT on Wednesday called off the rest of a five-day strike that began Monday on trains in southeast England, including London commuter services, over plans to downgrade the role of train conductors.

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The RMT has accused Virgin Trains of attempting to “bulldoze through a package of cash-led measure that would decimate jobs, working conditions and threaten the safety regime that now ensures a guard on every train”.

Southern Rail strike starts