The
dispute
between
the
RMT
and
train
operators
is
continuing,


after
the
union
said
last
night
that
fresh
talks
had
made
little
progress.

There
had
been
hopes
of
an
end
to
the
strikes,
because
walkouts
at
14
operators
in
England
planned
for
30
March
and
1
April
had
been
suspended,
two
days
after
the
RMT
had
agreed
to
end
its
separate
dispute
at
Network
Rail.

The
move
to
call
off
the
strikes
at
operators
had
come
during
the
afternoon
of
22
March
after
the
Rail
Delivery
Group
had
tabled
a
new
offer
which
the
RMT
said
‘could
lead
to
a
resolution
to
resolve
the
current
national
rail
dispute’.

But
further
talks
had
produced
‘no
further
document’,
the
union
said
last
night,
adding
that
‘members
are
rightly
frustrated
by
this,
and
the
Tory
government
is
once
again
absent
when
it
comes
to
giving
the
RDG
the
mandate
to
produce
a
new
document’.

The
RDG
agreed
to
write
to
the
union
‘in
due
course’,
and
the
RMT
said
it
was
expecting
to
have
another
meeting
after
Easter.

But
it
has
also
launched
a
new
ballot,
with
a
closing
date
of
4
May.

The
union
warned:
‘While
negotiations
continue,
we
remain
in
dispute
and
resolute
in
our
determination
to
win
a
further
mandate
for
strike
action
in
the
upcoming
re-ballot.
Be
in
no
doubt,
if
further
strikes
are
needed,
RMT
will
not
hesitate
to
act
to
ensure
a
negotiated
settlement
on
jobs,
pay
and
working
conditions.’