Do you support the RMT?

[Vic]

Clerical staff association. They don't like to call themselves a union.

I'm not sure what you're reading.

TSSA are quoting Billy Bragg!

There is power in a factory, power in the land, Power in the hand of the worker. But it all amounts to nothing If together we don't stand. There is power in a Union.

'There is Power in a Union', Billy Bragg, singer songwriter

And I've no idea why they want to merge with an American union!

 

[mat]

I'm not sure what you're reading.

TSSA are quoting Billy Bragg!


And I've no idea why they want to merge with an American union!

Not a clue.

They were talking to UNITE about merging with them a couple of years ago.

With regards to quoting Billy Bragg their General Secretary is a big fan. However he very rarely backs words with actions. Even with a strike mandate they are flapping about any potential joint strike action. Hopefully the DFT and the unions want a satisfactory agreement to avoid it. Today's offer from Network Rail says otherwise.

:(



Our Ref: BR6/10/1 & BR2/14/2



12th July 2022



Dear Colleague



DEFEND JOBS, PAY AND CONDITIONS - TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES AND NETWORK RAIL



Further to my letter dated 1st July, I can advise that a formal, conditional offer has today been received from Network Rail covering Maintenance and Operations. The offer is dependent on productivity and modernisation clauses. It amounts to a real-terms pay cut for members over the next two years and would cut a third of all frontline maintenance roles and half of all scheduled maintenance work. There is also a wholescale expectation of unsocial hours and lower pay across the board.



Network Rail has offered high level managers a huge hike in salary in return for very modest flexibility compared to what you and your colleagues have been offered. All companies involved in this dispute need to understand that key railway workers have lost thousands of pounds in earnings due to a pay freeze in recent years and rightly, you refuse to be short-changed again. Settlements reached with London Underground and recently Merseyrail are also well in excess of what you have been offered here.



We will not hesitate to call further strike action and co-ordinate this with other trade unions if the industry continues to fob us off with unacceptable offers.



As I write, there is a meeting with the Train Operating Companies taking place and the Union's Executive Committee will be considering this matter tomorrow to decide on our next steps.



I will of course then advise you all of the latest position and next steps from RMT. As always, we remain available to return to the table for genuine talks to resolve this dispute. The union's position remains based on our demands stated previously:



· A guarantee of No Compulsory Redundancies

· No detrimental changes to working practices and/or terms and conditions imposed.

· A substantial increase in pay

Continue your strength and solidarity in this campaign. We stand united together.

Yours sincerely,



Michael Lynch
General Secretary

 

[bluethrunthru]

 

[Deepest Blue]

RMT 1
Toffee Nosed Twat 0

 

[halfmist]

There was one of the bosses on the radio this morning.
He was commentating on productivity.
Is it true that the maintenance crews are not allowed to travel together to deal with any incident.
He was saying they have to travel in separate vehicles for overhead, track maintenance, vegetation control etc, they are not allowed to travel in just the one vehicle to an incident because the Unions won’t allow it.
Is this covered in the no detrimental change in working practices.
If it’s true would someone please explain why this happens, it’s clearly not based on Health & Safety issues.

 

[roypaulknewmyfather]

I seem to be able to post again on this thread.
There was one of the bosses on the radio this morning.
He was commentating on productivity.
Is it true that the maintenance crews are not allowed to travel together to deal with any incident.
He was saying they have to travel in separate vehicles for overhead, track maintenance, vegetation control etc, they are not allowed to travel in just the one vehicle to an incident because the Unions won’t allow it.
Is this covered in the no detrimental change in working practices.
If it’s true would someone please explain why this happens, it’s clearly not based on Health & Safety issues.

No. They can travel together if they’re all starting from the same place. If not, they obviously have to use another van.

 

[bluethrunthru]

I seem to be able to post again on this thread.
There was one of the bosses on the radio this morning.
He was commentating on productivity.
Is it true that the maintenance crews are not allowed to travel together to deal with any incident.
He was saying they have to travel in separate vehicles for overhead, track maintenance, vegetation control etc, they are not allowed to travel in just the one vehicle to an incident because the Unions won’t allow it.
Is this covered in the no detrimental change in working practices.
If it’s true would someone please explain why this happens, it’s clearly not based on Health & Safety issues.

cost? If the track maintenance guys and the vegetation control guys are at two different locations/bases probably best if they all get in vans at that base and rendezvous at the scene where they are needed? That or waste half a shift driving round picking up guys like an Uber driver? The management are either putting out bollocks or have no real idea how things work in their own industry - probably don't like this being made public either

 

[halfmist]

No. They can travel together if they’re all starting from the same place. If not, they obviously have to use another van.

Right. Thanks for that.
The boss must have been talking porkies.
He left the impression that substantial cost savings could be made if they were allowed to travel as a Team.

 

[halfmist]

Does anyone know what working practices the Unions are out to protect v what the bosses are trying to get rid of.
I understand they have agreed no compulsory redundancies.

 

[mat]

Does anyone know what working practices the Unions are out to protect v what the bosses are trying to get rid of.
I understand they have agreed no compulsory redundancies.

Working practices is management doublespeak for cutting staff and safety nets.

All railway workers that are clased as safety crtical have to abide by the railway rule book. Each grade has theie own specific one which concentrates on their role be it driver, guard signaller etc. However we all abide by the Master one.

With regards to no compulsory redundancies both NetworknRail and thd Train Operating are currently refusing to agree it. Doesn't stop Grant Schapps or Tim Shoveller gaslighting the nedia about what we do and what they want. They want to maximise profits over staff and services.