***Yawn*** that old chestnut? Sing a new tune will you?

Pro USA & Israel

It gets to the nitty gritty of what Cash said.

Hehe
I used to think Johnny Cash was money for condoms.

Southern signed a agreement with ASLEF to consult them on any extension of DOO... they imposed it without consultation...in fact they actively hid their intentions when they met with union reps when they won the current franchise.

So you're 100% right, if the agreements in place were honoured... there would be no strikes.

Just read the deal struck between ASLEF and Southern. It's the same deal offered 3 months ago. 2nd person rostered on all trains with safety critical training. Driver controls dispatch with OBS assisting during times of degraded working. It seems Southern wanted to see how strong the strike was before conceding.
They've agreed to...
*Safety critical training for OBS
*Rostering a OBS on all trains that previously had a guard (good news for wheelchair users/blind/assisted travel)
*platform dispatch at certain locations
*improved cctv (Southern have been aware of poor quality cctv since introduction off class 377, but HD cctv is mega expensive)
* OBS's to help with dispatch during degraded working.
* ASLEF have also secured a commitment from Southern to employ more drivers (Southern won't be happy at that at all... they have always had a policy of getting as much from as little drivers as possible). Also ASLEF have made Southern agree to employing new staff on permanent contracts and not agency or zero hour contracts.

The only sticking points I see are... the "exceptional circumstances" clauses... this relies on drivers trusting Southern... when I was there... there was no trust at all (can't blame them, we did get caught telling porkies twice)

Also Southern are going to rewrite DRI... this is the drivers employment contract, it will probably be the same as other TOC's That GTR own... this means they will have to pay Southern drivers parity with Thameslink/South Eastern.

Also Southern have been using industrial action as a excuse for their poor performance... they've also over played the "unofficial industrial action" in truth, there was none... now the industrial action is over... they will be in massive trouble if the service continues to be piss poor. They now need drivers (who they have thoroughly pissed off and lied to) to give up their days off... Southern management are s***ting themselves... I expect they will negotiate a short term financial inducement for drivers to work rest days... this will be temporary... we did it in 2005 when we were so poor we nearly lost franchise.

If drivers really wanted rid of Southern.... they could not work their days off.... Southern would be gone in months. As it stands... they have 70% of drivers needed.... with annual leave and sickness... it could be closer to 65%..... Southern are now fighting for their lives to keep franchise with no excuses to hid behind.... and relying on goodwill from staff they have pissed off.

Ask TUC. They chaired the meetings.

At a guess, I would say they had different agendas. If they had the same, then it would make sense to jointly discuss the deal. I can't see RMT worrying about the driver indemnity insurance stuff