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SWR accused of ‘blocking the route to a settlement’ of the long-running dispute over guards

PROFITEERING bosses at South Western Railway (SWR) have been accused of “blocking the route to a settlement” of the long-running dispute over keeping safety-critical guards on trains.

The RMT union made the accusation as its members continued a 27-day campaign of strikes, which has cut the number of SWR services by half. The action will continue into the new year.

Strike action was suspended today for the general election, though commuters still faced delays because SWR is operating to an adapted timetable.

RMT has made a compromise proposal to SWR bosses, under which guards would be allowed to ensure the safe dispatch of trains, but the plan has been rejected by the employers.

General secretary Mick Cash said: “It is clear that SWR have no interest in the safety and service provided to passengers.

“They are blocking the route RMT has set out to settle this dispute. They‎ should stop taking liberties and start talking seriously about a solution.”

Rail privateers across England want to remove guards from trains to increase profits, despite their record of keeping passengers safe and playing a crucial role in incidents such as derailments and collisions.

The Tory government has made the removal of guards’ jobs a condition of the franchises awarded to privateers. It has also guaranteed compensation from the taxpayer for any profits lost through strike action.

SWR operates services covering London and Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight.

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