Slanted BBC reporting presents unfair interpretation of Southern Rail deal rejection
Members of the drivers’ union Aslef rejected the deal by 54.1 per cent [Image: PA].
Yes, if Aslef had accepted the deal on offer from Southern Rail, it would have ended the union’s dispute – but Southern trains would have been less safe, just so the parent company, which is partly-owned by the French firm Keolis, could save a few quid.
Aslef had not been “arguing” with Southern’s parent firm; it had been negotiating.
The proposed deal, which would have allowed Southern to run trains without a guard or onboard supervisor (whatever that is) was rejected by drivers – and the union’s leaders have supported the decision.
Clearly, drivers did not believe the offer was in the best interests of passengers or the service in general.
So it’s back to Square One for the negotiators (not arguers). Let us hope commuters can accept that the strike action is in their own interests.
Aslef members have rejected a deal with Southern rail that would have ended a long-running industrial dispute.
It had been arguing with parent firm, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), over driver-only operated (DOO) trains.
Members of the drivers’ union rejected the deal by 54.1% to 45.9%. The turnout was 72.7%.
Under the proposed agreement, Southern would have been able to run trains without a guard or onboard supervisor under certain circumstances.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: “We understand and support the decision arrived at democratically by our members and will now work to deliver a resolution in line with their expectations.”
Source: Aslef members reject Southern deal – BBC News
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Come to expect that from BBC these days.At some stage it is possible that the BBC will be broken up by the Tories whom they are now so anxious to please like a mob of Uriah Heeps.
You would have thought another rail contractor would have sided with the union on safety but then greed is everywhere
We are more than a little used to the BBC biased reporting, I’m surprised they haven’t said that as 45 % voted to accept it the majority should be ignored, after all they have previous for that particular slant on the news.