Will an agreement be met?
Train drivers for Southern Rail attended a meeting today as Aslef union leaders tried to encourage staff to accept the new deal, to help end the ongoing disputes on the rail network.
Around 900 members are expected to vote but many oppose the new deal, results are expected next week.
The meeting was held in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, those who attended were told the deal brings “significant gains” in the dispute over driver-operation.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers have had to put up with the disruption for 10 months now.
Simon Weller, Aslef’s assistant general secretary and member of the general council of the TUC, said: “We have achieved significant gains. There will be a [second] safety-critical person on every train.”
Union leaders are set to tour train depots in the franchise’s area to put the deal forward.
The RMT has agreed to talk with Southern Rail over the continued dispute with guards, who are now called on board supervisors.
The union has disapproved the deal and threatened of more strikes if an agreement can’t be met.
Mick Lynch, the RMT’s assistant general secretary, said: “We have not ruled out the possibility of more strike action.”
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