GTR offers RMT fresh talks

Southern’s chief executive Charles Horton has this afternoon offered to meet RMT general secretary Mick Cash tomorrow for face-to-face talks to try and find a solution to end their six-months dispute

Mr Horton has written to the union asking them to call off this week’s strike and allow “productive” talks to take place.

He has informed Mr Cash: “I’m prepared to free my diary from tomorrow morning onwards to meet and to show your serious intent, I would like the RMT to call off the rest of the strike action planned for this week”.

Commenting Mr Horton said: “Everyone – the travelling public, our staff and the regional economy - have faced months of misery and disruption, and again today. We have to end this dispute now and move forward. The union is well aware from our actions of last Friday that we are taking the necessary steps to implement our proposals. It would be beneficial to everyone if we can do so with the agreement of the RMT, but this has to be on the basis of the principles we have made clear to them throughout. Our proposals remain unchanged from 8 August when we set out our full, fair and comprehensive 8-point offer, on top of previous assurances made to you. These were supplemented by the offer of a lump sum payment on the 3 October, which the RMT rejected last week. Let’s hope sense prevails and we can shake hands on a deal”.

ENDS