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January / February 2009
Comrades. I took over as your General Grades Committee Council of Executives member from Pete Rowland on 1 January 2009 and I think it is appropriate having seen at first hand just some of the immense work undertaken by Pete that we place on record our appreciation to him for all his hard work and efforts on behalf of our members – his name regularly appears in reports and resolutions – and I know that’s just the tip of the iceberg when we remember his activities.
We face huge difficulties at the start of this year – the train operating companies are using the “economic downturn” as an excuse to reduce jobs, attack conditions and undermine services – as I write this report we are now in dispute with six of the major regional train operators working into London over job losses – the significant attacks on jobs at present seem to centre on proposals to reduce opening hours at ticket offices, station staffing and support staff with some attacks on train catering grades mainly centred on the National Express franchises. RMT is fighting to defend rail jobs and rail services we are opposing the closures, reduced hours and de-staffing of stations and reduction in train catering facilities.
We also face a significant dispute over the role of the Guard on South Eastern Trains where the introduction of new rolling stock on the High Speed Route from Kent to St Pancras means South East Trains are proposing not only a change in control of the doors but the complete abolition of the safety operational role of the Guard – and this on a route that has significant parts of it running through tunnel sections…so much for safety.
In Scotland the Union is seeking assurances from First Scotrail about no extension of DOO especially with reference to extended lines in the Airdrie Bathgate area.
The Union is to launch a train crew charter at the Train Crew and Shunting Grades Conference on 2-4 April 2009 in Hull and I urge all of our train crew members to attend.
On Northern Rail we entered a dispute with the company with a decision to ballot our members for strike action for the following reasons –
Northern’s breach of the staff care and support system /s.m.s.p. 1.10 date 1 November 2005
Victimisation of RMT Representatives and activists
Breach of the disciplinary procedure
Imposition of the I.C.T. policy (Information Communication Technology policy).
Breach of the Guards Agreement (introduction of Tram Trains)
Thankfully we did not have to ballot our members or take strike action as – following the hard work of our Lead Organiser John MacDonald and the RMT Negotiating Team a settlement was reached where the Union obtained almost all of our objectives…and where we didn’t obtain them all we managed to reach an acceptable compromise.
I would urge all our members and representatives to remain vigilant in the defence of our members employed by this privateer.
On EWS ( DB SCHENKER )we have significant problems and are balloting our members for strike action in defence of jobs and against the casualisation of working conditions
RMT Demands –
No compulsory redundancies
Full recognition and access to all members in all grades employed by DB Schenker
To remove the threats of regarding and introduction of zero hours contracts, that is a threat to our members job security and the complete casualisation of their jobs.
In addition to this DB Schenker are proposing a pay freeze and even possible pay cuts, as well as refusing to honour existing pay awards. DB Schenker have continually ignored all agreements and collective bargaining procedures and are even seeking to evade their legal responsibilities to redundant staff, including denying the 90 day consultation period.
It is difficult to keep up with all the developments on Network Rail! The pay offer for our infrastructure members this year was wholly unacceptable primarily due to the conditions attached to the offer – we have rejected it and are seeking further meetings with the company.
A significant issue has developed with the Network Rail section of the Railway Pensions Scheme and I enclose the minutes of the General Grades Committee that dealt with this issue as appendix 1 to this document – the minute is self-explanatory.
We have faced significant job losses in our road haulage sector – with both the Middleton Road Transport Branch and Manchester No 5 taking the brunt of the job losses in this sector – the Unions full time officials continue to offer support to our members faced with job losses at this extremely difficult time with a view to securing alternative employment for as many members as possible.
The introduction of VHF on Virgin West Coast has been problematic to say the least with significant delays and cancellations at the beginning of the service – these delays sometimes meant our members were not getting breaks or proper rest between shift – the RMT is obtaining detailed legal advice on members entitlements and the law with regard to breaks and rest periods.
The Union has noted with grave concern that Network rail has ordered the deferral of 28% of its track renewals programme due to the ORRs financial restrictions – this is undoubtedly a threat to passenger safety and our members livelihoods. We have taken the issue up with the infrastructure contractors, Network Rail and our parliamentary group.
This month saw the 5 anniversary of the Tebay tragedy and I was honoured to lay a wreath on behalf of the RMT Executive at the memorial to our four comrades – the fight for secondary protection of infrastructure work sites goes on – the Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Geraldine Smith who has recently became a member of our Parliamentary Group put down an EDM in the House of Commons on the issue – I Have written to all Northern MPs asking them to sign it.
I have had replies from a number of MPs who hold junior positions in Government, are private secretary to Ministers etc who cannot sign EDMs its very sad that some local MPs have risen to such dizzy heights in this pathetic Government that they’re now unable to represent their constituents properly!
For your information I have been elected to the following sub committees of the Council of Executives – Political, Transport Policy and Liberation – Legal Services, - ETF / ITF and I also sit on the Train Crew sub committee of the General Grades Committee.
Since being elected I have visited Manchester South and Carlisle City Branch and have written to all Branches asking if they would like me to attend their meetings and give an EC report.
Posters advertising my contact numbers and the contact points for a number of Union help lines and regional offices have also been produced and are available if Branches or reps require them.
The week before last – as a member of the ETF /ITF sub committee I met with our comrades from the Belgian and French trade unions to discuss the Governments proposals to privatise Eurostar and the high speed rail link through Kent – yes this Government doesn’t just re-franchise railways it actually privatises successful services – the implications of this are that the French and Belgian railways are now looking at track access charging not only for a privatised British Eurostar but also for Thalys and the other trans national rail services across Europe creating a Europe wide rail privatisation disaster similar to the chaos in Britain – for your information the man going through the tunnel to organise this is Geoff “weapons of mass destruction” Hoon.
Finally, as your Council of Executive member I had the Great Honour of attending the HSBC National Rail Awards at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane – along with 30 other RMT members who were stood OUTSIDE with community groups from Tyneside opposing the privatising of the Tyne and Wear Metro – as the privateers turned up we greeted them with shouts of “greedy railway privateers here tonight with their snouts in the trough paid for by the bankers” and “job cuts, fares up cocktails at 6.30!” some of our industry leaders looked visibly shaken at the spectacle – thanks for electing me!!!
Craig Johnston