RMT vote 4 to 1 to strike over NR pay

[Darren R]

As far as guards, ticket office, and signal box staff are concerned I suggest looking for a job in another industry. There is little sympathy amongst commuters for rail works after all the Bank Holiday Extensions(strikes) of the last decade or more.

Perhaps said commuters should seek new employment somewhere within walking distance of their homes instead? That way they are no longer being held to ransom by selfish union dinosaurs nor at the mercy of the equally money-grabbing TOCs who foist inflation-busting fare rises on the travelling public every year. After all, if commuters don't have any sympathy - well, that's all that matters isn't it.

 

[Flamingo]

K

As far as guards, ticket office, and signal box staff are concerned I suggest looking for a job in another industry. There is little sympathy amongst commuters for rail works after all the Bank Holiday Extensions(strikes) of the last decade or more.

You know, you're right. We'll all give in our notice tomorrow.

Good luck getting to work over the next few years while a whole new generation of railway workers get recruited and trained from scratch. You might have a functioning railway again by about 2019 - assuming you can find all of the people you expect to take our jobs over.

But there will be plenty of jobs we can go for, as all those commuters will have to leave THEIR jobs as they can't get to work...

 

[LAX54]

As far as guards, ticket office, and signal box staff are concerned I suggest looking for a job in another industry. There is little sympathy amongst commuters for rail works after all the Bank Holiday Extensions(strikes) of the last decade or more.

simple chum get a job closer to home, then you won't have to travel by train, of course you could always drive, but then you would have to leave home some 3 hours or more earlier to allow for the DAILY hold ups of hours on end, that no one seems to ever moan about !

Still once all the Signallers have resigned from the Powerboxes, and the Railway has some new recruits, it's only a 12 week school course followed by some 18 months training in the PSB, so by 2020 you maybe able to get a train again ! That is of course if you can get someone to apply for the job and actually make the grade and suffer the restrictions on home life / social life, shifts, 4 volume rule book, 30 pages of 'special instructions' that relate to the specific location or workstation that you work, you will not be able to drink anything alcoholic at least 12 hours before your shift,
It's odd how many people that start 'off the street' give up after about 6 months of training, as they can't cope with the varied shifts/rules/ restrictions on social life !

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

simple chum get a job closer to home, then you won't have to travel by train, of course you could always drive, but then you would have to leave home some 3 hours or more earlier to allow for the DAILY hold ups of hours on end, that no one seems to ever moan about !

In the London centric-base of employment, there must be vast numbers of daily rail travellers who enter the main city core by National Rail services, London Underground and the Docklands Light Railway.

In other areas removed from such high density commuting, there are those using car transportation to a far greater extent that that stated above, as the motorway systems leading into city centre cores of Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds (to give three northern region city examples) will duly attest at periods of peak period daily commuting.

Therefore, I feel your comment of leaving home three hours earlier is more applicable to long-distance commutes into London rather than to any of the three northern city areas that I have stated.

 

[LAX54]

In the London centric-base of employment, there must be vast numbers of daily rail travellers who enter the main city core by National Rail services, London Underground and the Docklands Light Railway.

In other areas removed from such high density commuting, there are those using car transportation to a far greater extent that that stated above, as the motorway systems leading into city centre cores of Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds (to give three northern region city examples) will duly attest at periods of peak period daily commuting.

Therefore, I feel your comment of leaving home three hours earlier is more applicable to long-distance commutes into London rather than to any of the three northern city areas that I have stated.

Well you only have to listen to BBC Essex for the daily delays on the A12 / A13 / M25 and as for the Dartford Tunnel !! regular daily delays back to Junction 4 (junction 3 on a good day !)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Well you only have to listen to BBC Essex for the daily delays on the A12 / A13 / M25 and as for the Dartford Tunnel !! regular daily delays back to Junction 4 (junction 3 on a good day !)

Referring back to my last posting, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds are many miles removed from the land of fake tan and bling...

 

[Smudger105e]

I think the point of the posts telling people to change jobs was a reaction to the comments about railway staff being told to find another job.

Telling someone to change jobs rather than stand up to protect their T&Cs or prevent further erosion of their relative pay is a pointless one.

 

[LAX54]

I think the point of the posts telling people to change jobs was a reaction to the comments about railway staff being told to find another job.

Telling someone to change jobs rather than stand up to protect their T&Cs or prevent further erosion of their relative pay is a pointless one.

And that is partially why so many 'employees' have such poor pay and conditions, they have allowed the bosses to walk all over them and reduce their conditions, I am sure many of these places could be non-union, but there is nothing in law stopping a union being in place. We are slowly going back to Victorian times whereby you knelt to the boss each time he walked by, and were grateful when he cut your pay and conditions and said thankyou sir.

 

[cjmillsnun]

As far as guards, ticket office, and signal box staff are concerned I suggest looking for a job in another industry. There is little sympathy amongst commuters for rail works after all the Bank Holiday Extensions(strikes) of the last decade or more.

There have been relatively few strikes over the last decade, and the last strike that affected the whole network was back in BR days. Get your facts right.

 

[Ianigsy]

Having worked in two different companies in the financial sector and been a member of the union in both, part of the problem in private companies in a competitive market is that the management have the trump card of "this is necessary for the long term survival of the company and if you don't accept it then we might all be out on the street in a few years". In both of the places where I've worked, a change from straightforward 35 hours between 8 and 5 Monday to Friday had already been implemented and was mandatory for all new staff members so there was no critical mass of opinion to change back (particularly from those who'd taken money to change to the new contract).

 

[Greenback]

I think the point of the posts telling people to change jobs was a reaction to the comments about railway staff being told to find another job.

I think that's correct. If commuters tell railway staff to change jobs if they don't like their terms and conditions, it seems reasonable for me for the suggestion to be made that commuters could change jobs too if they aren't happy.

Telling someone to change jobs rather than stand up to protect their T&Cs or prevent further erosion of their relative pay is a pointless one.

The unions are always blamed when negotiations break down and strike action is on the cards. Sometimes that may be a fair comment to make, but as I pointed out somewhere previously, it takes two to tango, and it hasn't been unknown for management to deliberately engineer a dispute and a strike.

And that is partially why so many 'employees' have such poor pay and conditions, they have allowed the bosses to walk all over them and reduce their conditions, I am sure many of these places could be non-union, but there is nothing in law stopping a union being in place. We are slowly going back to Victorian times whereby you knelt to the boss each time he walked by, and were grateful when he cut your pay and conditions and said thankyou sir.

Indeed. Some people would like to see a return to a time when the working class knew their place and were grateful for whatever they received.

There have been relatively few strikes over the last decade, and the last strike that affected the whole network was back in BR days. Get your facts right.

I believe the last one was back in 1994. However, it's far more difficult to stage action across the whole network now that the industry is far more fragmented than it used to be.

Nonetheless, I agree that there have been very few strikes over the past ten years. I've spent seven or so years of the last decade commuting, and not once has my journey been disrupted or made impossible by industrial action.

 

[LAX54]

Regardless of all the bluster from Signaller's I would wager a bet, that most if not all, are proud of the job they do, safely transporting freight, people etc, day in, day out, 365 days a year, adapting to all the regular rule changes, increasing amount of contractors not knowing where they are etc etc, the LAST thing they want to do is strike and lose money, this is proved by the fact that last strike was in 1994.
In the past CEO's have been people who have worked in the industry a long time, and knew the Company inside out before they became CEO, now we have a quick turnover of CE's many of whom do not understand how a railway system works, but seem to think they can run it like Tesco's or Aldi's !

 

[SPADTrap]

I think the point of the posts telling people to change jobs was a reaction to the comments about railway staff being told to find another job.

Telling someone to change jobs rather than stand up to protect their T&Cs or prevent further erosion of their relative pay is a pointless one.

Welcome to Britain today sadly.

 

[33056]

Just had an e-mail to say that the most recent pay offer has been accepted by the RMT membership by quite a large margin.

PAY OFFER ACCEPTED

RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 - NETWORK RAIL

I write to advise members that the referendum on the company’s latest offer has now concluded and the result is as follows: -

Are you prepared to accept the company’s offer?

Total Votes Cast 9052

Number Voting Yes 7449

Number Voting No 1598

Spoilt Papers 5

Source

 

[Smudger105e]

MT members have voted to accept Network Rail’s new offer on pay and conditions, signalling an end to the long-running dispute.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Network Rail members for their determination, solidarity and support for their union over the last months.

” Without it this deal would simply not have been possible. It just goes to show what can be achieved when members stand united and are prepared to fight for decent pay and conditions. “

Tweet from Union Solidarity International.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
RMT not MT!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is "the anger of the union membership" that was referred to by Mick Cash earlier in the dispute still a source of worry to the union, despite the acceptance. What measures will the union now take to help their members who truly felt so very definite about that particular emotion which was being referred to?.

 

[island]

Money has a funny habit of calming anger.

 

[Smudger105e]

Money has a funny habit of calming anger.

I does, but the bottom line was not purely financial, as you well know!

 

[Darren R]

My understanding (possibly erroneous) is that the negotiations were for a four year deal, but that the deal accepted by RMT members only covers two years. Is this correct? And, if so, what is the situation regarding the remaining half of the deal?

 

[carriageline]

My understanding (possibly erroneous) is that the negotiations were for a four year deal, but that the deal accepted by RMT members only covers two years. Is this correct? And, if so, what is the situation regarding the remaining half of the deal?

Network Rail wanted a 4 year pay deal, we don't. So when this deal finishes (end of next year) it's back to the negotiating table

 

[ainsworth74]

Well then, put in your diary's everyone and we'll see you all back here in two years

 

[Darren R]

Network Rail wanted a 4 year pay deal, we don't. So when this deal finishes (end of next year) it's back to the negotiating table

That's interesting; I assumed that the rank-and-file would want the certainty of a four year deal rather than going through the brinkmanship that seems to be the way so many rail industry partners conduct negotiations over pay (and T&Cs! )

May I ask why a four year deal wasn't what NR employees wanted?

 

[carriageline]

Unsure personally. I think it's because your locked in with a four year deal, and alot can change over them 4 years. Say we got a RPI only deal for the next 4 years, then the next 3 years RPI nose dives, then we are locked into a pay freeze for 3 years. Whereas it would only be 1 year now, and renegotiate next year.

 

[Class185]

The reason a 4 year deal wasn't agreed was because only a '2 year no compulsory redundancy' agreement meant after 2 years no ones jobs would be safe and NR would have year 3 and 4 from the deal to cut jobs.

The new deal is still the 2 year agreement as part of a 2 year deal.

 

[HowardGWR]

The reason a 4 year deal wasn't agreed was because only a '2 year no compulsory redundancy' agreement meant after 2 years no ones jobs would be safe and NR would have year 3 and 4 from the deal to cut jobs.

The new deal is still the 2 year agreement as part of a 2 year deal.

This will not go down well well with some of you.

Yawn.

 

[sheff1]

I think it's because your locked in with a four year deal, and alot can change over them 4 years.

Obviously I cannot speak for RMT members, but back when I was a union rep in another industry we would never support any deal which was for longer than two years for that exact reason.

 

[Robertj21a]

Obviously I cannot speak for RMT members, but back when I was a union rep in another industry we would never support any deal which was for longer than two years for that exact reason.

Even without any union hat on, I'd be surprised at anyone agreeing deals for more than about 2 years nowadays. So much can change that couldn't possibly have been foreseen - by any party to the agreement.

 

[LAX54]

NCR for 4 years and RPI+0.5% for 4 years I would have thought would also have been accepted, in the past NR have been quite happy with RPI+0.5% formula, think there was a 3 year deal once, all parties were happy

Min you now that the ROC programme looks like its on the skids...NCR might not be an issue, in fact the reverse, with not enough staff !

 

[carriageline]

Why do people keep saying the ROC programme is being held, I've seen nothing to support that, all the schemes coming to my place are still going ahead!

 

[LAX54]

Why do people keep saying the ROC programme is being held, I've seen nothing to support that, all the schemes coming to my place are still going ahead!

Well our ROC (Romf) Colchester not moving until 2022 at the earliest (from 2017) Cambridge 2023 at the earliest, but reckoned not then either, Broadland lines was 2016 maybe 2018, but way over budget and due to cancellation/postponed Colchester remodelling, no siganlling equipment, so maybe a lot later, but we have upfront Managers who have told us what is going on, on a regular basis