Rail unions locked in urgent talks

Last-minute talks were being held today in an attempt to avert a major rail strike from midnight.

Rail, Maritime and Transport union officials and South West Trains chiefs were locked in urgent negotiations to strike a deal over pay, and over disciplinary action against a union activist. If talks fail, 200,000 SWT commuters will face huge disruption tomorrow and on Friday, Monday and Tuesday.

The union is insisting the strike will go ahead unless the company improves its latest pay offer to guards and station staff of 15 per cent over three years. Both employer and union were pessimistic over the chances of a breakthrough, given the two separate issues at stake.

Some routes into Waterloo will shut down almost entirely if the strikes go ahead, the company has warned.

The RMT, the rail industry's largest union, rejected the improved three-year deal last week, demanding the same deal for the guards and station staff as that offered to drivers. Some 2,100 members of the union are poised to support two 48-hour strikes over pay at the end of this week and the beginning of next.

The situation is complicated by a separate dispute over demotion of union activist Greg Tucker from driver to ticket inspector. The RMT wants disciplinary action against him dropped, but SWT is refusing to do this. Some 700 train crew members are set to strike on Tuesday over the disciplinary row.

SWT managing director Andrew Haines accused the union of using pay as a cover for its real agenda over the demotion of Mr Tucker. He said: "By rejecting our excellent offer the RMT has shown beyond any doubt that this is not a dispute over pay, it is a dispute over our disciplining of union representatives."

SWT drivers have been offered a 7.6 per cent rise over 18 months, with 3.8 per cent of the offer related to agreements over more flexible working. The company says its offer to non-drivers is the equivalent of 15 per cent over three years, and includes a two-hour cut in the working week. The RMT is demanding a "pure" pay deal at the same level as drivers.

Vernon Hince, the RMT's acting general secretary, said: "Members want a fair settlement along the lines of what has been offered to drivers.

"And as for the disciplinary measures, we cannot accept our members' representatives being singled out for unfair treatment."

Stagecoach-owned SWT says the action will cost it £4million in lost revenue, while inflicting huge delays on people returning to work from an extended Christmas break.

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