General Secretary Mick Cash said;
“RMT entered today’s talks in good faith but it soon became clear that the only thing Southern were interested in was bulldozing through driver only operation further and faster with safety and access to services not even on their agenda. That pig-headed attitude has today wrecked the talks process.
“Not only have Southern refused point blank to give a guarantee on a second safety critical member of staff but the company have also made it clear that the deal set up by the TUC in the drivers’ dispute is even worse than we first expected and gives Southern a free run to kick the legs from under our members who have fought for nearly a year on the principles of safety and access.
“RMT’s negotiating team is furious at the way this union and its members have been treated. This is dire news not just for staff but for passengers who rightly demand a safe, reliable and accessible service. I will now take a full report back to the unions exectutive. “