CARLISLE CITY RMT

National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
Carlisle City Branch (0299)
www.carlislecityrmt.org
Chair: Craig Johnston
From Mark Eilbeck – Branch Secretary
3 Blundell Road, Harraby, Carlisle, CA1 3BQ
Telephone – 07908 521 392

Minutes of the meeting of the RMT Carlisle City Branch held in the Kings Head, Fisher Street, Carlisle on Tuesday 4 November 2008 at 19.00hrs

Members Present: Karl Norendal, Iain Cavanagh, Craig Johnston (Branch Chair) Maurice Walker (Retired) Kevin Roach, Donald Coupland, Paul Ferry, Tony Carrigan, George Coulthard, Alan Johnson, Scott Nelson, Mark Eilbeck (Branch Secretray), Juan Guerrero.

Apologies from Harry Storrow.

Matters Arising – Nil

Correspondence form Head Office – Read and Noted
The following was specifically resolved –

Procedure Agreements Northern Rail – It was agreed to write to the General Secretary asking which procedure agreement had actually changed and asking when there was a meeting between the Company Council and the General Grades Committee to discuss this issue – further the branch requests details of the procedure to be used to advise branches, staff representatives and the broader membership of changes to procedure agreements.

Staffing Levels - S & T Network Rail Maintenance – Further to the letter from the General Secretary BR4/14/5 asking for examples where Network Rail management are making a habit of rostering two person teams to carry out S &T duties in breach of agreement it was decided to write back to the General Secretary advising that whilst this does not appear to be the practice in our area it would seem to be the practice in some parts of Scotland specifically we understand between Annan and Kilmarnock.

Election of General Grades Council of Executives member for Manchester and the North West of England – The Branch to write to the General Secretary asking for the reason why the election process is being delayed until 11 November 2008 and expressing our concern at the delay.

Conditions of Service Books – the General Secretary had written to the Branch confirming that copies of the Blue Book Conditions of service book were available to members in the pay and conditions website together with the 1988 supplement.
The 1997 Network Rail Signallers and Supervisory book (“the Green Book”) will be scanned and added to the website shortly.

The General Secretary confirmed that the Conditions of Service books still applied to all grades on Network Rail except where agreements had been superseded by restructuring exercises.
It was decided to ask the General Secretary if the P.T & R still applied especially in relation to seniority for promotion etc.

Network Rail Harmonisation – it was agreed to write back to the General Secretary asking for a summery of the conclusions reached at the infrastructure reps meeting in Doncaster that was to discuss harmonisation issues.
Continued…

Train Crew – Driver and Guard – rolling stock issues meeting in Doncaster – a meeting to discuss rolling stock issues in relation to the role and responsibility of the Guard will be held in Doncaster Trades and Labour Club on Wednesday 19 November 2008 starting at 12.30.
It was noted that Northern Rail were to alter the physical characteristics of their 180 units to allow Conductors control of the doors after pressure from the RMT Conductors Company Council

Schedule 17 – OPENING HOURS OF BOOKING OFFICES – The branch resolved to carefully monitor the opening hours of booking offices and any examples where booking offices were frequently closed or under threat would be reported to RMT Head Office.

ATCU – letter read and noted advising that the Trades Union Congress had unanimously passed an emergency resolution supported by ASLEF, TSSA and RMT condemning the activities of the breakaway ASLEF members in forming the associated train crew union – IMPORTANTLY – the Trades Union Congress has resolved to never permit atcu affiliation to the TUC.

Workplace Justice Campaign – Eric Martlew MP had been written to asking him to support the campaign.

Letters from Regional Offices – Read and Noted

Nomination for the TUC Conference – Chris Smart from Manchester South had withdrawn from this election – Carlisle City Branch resolved to support Steve West from Manchester South.

Nomination for the 2009 AGM – Isle of Man – Alan Johnson nominated

Grievances – George Coulthard raised his application for legal representation – the union solicitors - Thompsons - had written to him saying that because he had no time off (following the incident where he was assaulted) and neither had he received any recorded medical physical injuries in respect of the assault - they thought it was unlikely he would succeed in an application for compensation – it was agreed to write to the General Secretary – enclosing a copy of the letter from Thompsons – appealing against their decision.

Any Other Business – Nil

The next meeting of the Carlisle City Branch of the RMT will be held in the Kings Head, Fisher Street, Carlisle at 19.00hrs on Tuesday 2 December 2008

Please make every effort to attend.