RMT announces further strike action for TOCs & overtime ban for Network Rail

[The Planner]

Cheltenham Races is minor compared to Christmas, about the same impact as the strikes back in June for Glastonbury, or for the London Marathon. The coach companies will simply add on extra coaches for Cheltenham to take the punters there to get drunk & waste money betting on horses.

Never been to New St when Cheltenham is on then?!

 

[ainsworth74]

Are signallers and track maintenance workers also on strike as well on the 4 dates announced the 16 18 30 march and 1 April?

No, they strike 0200 March 16 to 0159 on March 17 but then have multiple seven day long overtime bans in place:

The strike action details are as follows


RMT members working for the 14 train operating companies will take strike action on the following days:


- 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Thursday 16th March 2023


· 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Saturday 18th March 2023


· 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Thursday 30th March 2023


· 00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Saturday 1st April 2023



Network Rail members will take strike action at:


02:00 hours on March 16th 2023 and 01:59 hours on March 17th 2023.



An overtime ban by Network Rail members will be in effect at the following times:


Maintenance:


· Seven days of overtime, rest day working ban and non-rostered Sunday working from 00:01 hours on Friday 17th March 2023 until 23:59 hours on Thursday 23rd March 2023


· Seven days of overtime, rest day working ban and non-rostered Sunday working from 00:01 hours on Friday 31st 2023 until 23:59 hours on Thursday 6th April 2023

· Seven days of overtime, rest day working ban and non-rostered Sunday working from 00:01 hours on Friday 14th April 2023 until 23:59 hours on Thursday 20th April 2023



Operations:


· Seven days of overtime, rest day working ban and non-rostered Sunday working from 00:01 hours on Sunday 26th March 2023 until 23:59 hours on Saturday 1st April 2023


· Seven days of overtime, rest day working ban and non-rostered Sunday working from 00:01 hours on Sunday 9th April 2023 until 23:59 hours on Saturday 15th April 2023


· Seven days of overtime and rest day working ban from 00:01 hours on Sunday 23rd April 2023 until 23:59 hours on Saturday 29th April 2023

RMT announces further strikes and overtime ban in national rail dispute

Rail union RMT, will take nationwide strike action across the railways on 16 March after employers refused to put any new offers on the table.

www.rmt.org.uk

 

[heathrowrail]

Excellent! So that's my planned train ride to Birmingham for my holiday screwed over by a bunch of socialists. Screw the railway fed up with this.

 

[ar10642]

Never been to New St when Cheltenham is on then?!

The vast majority of the country are not going to be affected in any way by Cheltenham, so the idea that this is somehow going to force the government's hand when they didn't care about Christmas is laughable.

 

[The Planner]

The vast majority of the country are not going to be affected in any way by Cheltenham, so the idea that this is somehow going to force the government's hand when they didn't care about Christmas is laughable.

At what point did I say it would? My comment is about the numbers that travel to the races.

 

[NI 271]

I didn't vote to strike due to not liking the Tories, I voted to strike because my terms and conditions are being destroyed.
I don't know anyone who voted to strike for political reasons. The very suggestion is ludicrous.

The politics are being played by the government who decided to start and prolong this whole dispute. They don't want to settle, they want to make us bleed.

There are quite a number of people who post on here who, for reasons only known to themselves, cannot bear the prospect that the people responsible for their hobby might be fairly rewarded for their work, or have hard-won terms and conditions respected. It'd take quite the leap of imagination to consider it wasn't entirely borne of envy, be that of the T&Cs themselves, or that a workforce has the self-respect to stand up for themselves where they themselves would simply bend over.

I'd leave them to it, literally nothing they say or dream of has any effect whatsoever on negotiations or the eventual outcome. Speaking as a driver not involved in the disputes, the only effect they've actually had where I'm concerned is to ensure nobody else who shares their hobby gets anything they ask me for (such as a toot of the horn, a chance to take a photo of my cab, or even a friendly wave) any more. Small kids are the only people I even acknowledge nowadays, and that's pretty sad, but the days of me having anything but scorn or disdain for 'enthusiasts' are long gone. This is people's livelihoods, and cheerleading for other people to have their terms and conditions annihilated leaves the sourest taste in the mouth, typical as it is of the toxic nation we now find ourselves living in.

 

[Facing Back]

In practical terms is there any way they can possibly enforce that?

My understanding is that it enforces itself. If your income drops then you have to explain why and ask for a top-up - but I'm years out of date so happy to be corrected.

 

[ainsworth74]

My understanding is that it enforces itself. If your income drops then you have to explain why and ask for a top-up - but I'm years out of date so happy to be corrected.

Should be automatic these days. DWP get the info via HMRC who get it via real time information from the employer every time they run payroll.

 

[NI 271]

The mass inflation was caused by lockdowns, bailouts, furloughs, deficit spending, money printing and the net zero energy policy and which were all very popular at the time and in some cases still are.

Yeah, that's precisely what he said. Or do you think someone other than the government was responsible for all that?

Expect people to just roll over and have their terms and conditions attacked, is that what you do?

Anti strike sentiment seems to be born out of people who haven’t got the backbone to stick up for themselves.

*applause*

 

[Fred26]

The vast majority of this dispute is about pay not employment rights.

You keep saying this, but it's not true.

 

[Aaron1]

Me and a few mates are supposed to be travelling from Grimsby to Nottingham on 16th march, then back on 17th

We are hopeful there may be a few trains running from Grimsby to Sheffield then we can get EMR from Sheffield to Nottingham (services ran on all these routes on the last strike) alternatively we could travel night before or simply get buses to Nottingam but the latter isn't going to be very comfortable!

 

[Fred26]

There are quite a number of people who post on here who, for reasons only known to themselves, cannot bear the prospect that the people responsible for their hobby might be fairly rewarded for their work, or have hard-won terms and conditions respected. It'd take quite the leap of imagination to consider it wasn't entirely borne of envy, be that of the T&Cs themselves, or that a workforce has the self-respect to stand up for themselves where they themselves would simply bend over.

I'd leave them to it, literally nothing they say or dream of has any effect whatsoever on negotiations or the eventual outcome. Speaking as a driver not involved in the disputes, the only effect they've actually had where I'm concerned is to ensure nobody else who shares their hobby gets anything they ask me for (such as a toot of the horn, a chance to take a photo of my cab, or even a friendly wave) any more. Small kids are the only people I even acknowledge nowadays, and that's pretty sad, but the days of me having anything but scorn or disdain for 'enthusiasts' are long gone. This is people's livelihoods, and cheerleading for other people to have their terms and conditions annihilated leaves the sourest taste in the mouth, typical as it is of the toxic nation we now find ourselves living in.

Thanks for the support.

 

[43066]

There are quite a number of people who post on here who, for reasons only known to themselves, cannot bear the prospect that the people responsible for their hobby might be fairly rewarded for their work, or have hard-won terms and conditions respected. It'd take quite the leap of imagination to consider it wasn't entirely borne of envy, be that of the T&Cs themselves, or that a workforce has the self-respect to stand up for themselves where they themselves would simply bend over.

I'd leave them to it, literally nothing they say or dream of has any effect whatsoever on negotiations or the eventual outcome. Speaking as a driver not involved in the disputes, the only effect they've actually had where I'm concerned is to ensure nobody else who shares their hobby gets anything they ask me for (such as a toot of the horn, a chance to take a photo of my cab, or even a friendly wave) any more. Small kids are the only people I even acknowledge nowadays, and that's pretty sad, but the days of me having anything but scorn or disdain for 'enthusiasts' are long gone. This is people's livelihoods, and cheerleading for other people to have their terms and conditions annihilated leaves the sourest taste in the mouth, typical as it is of the toxic nation we now find ourselves living in.

A truly excellent post.

 

[LowLevel]

Unless our rest day pattern and new starter pay scales are guaranteed it's all a non starter here regardless. DfT agreed this last year after 3 years of strike action on our part. Get rid of the national framework, it's nonsense and doesn't work. Too many different starting points.

 

[stuartl]

National Express are advertising extra coach services to the Cheltenham festival because of the strikes.

 

[Bald Rick]

Can you expand on this please?

He’s being told what to do by a National Executive Committee that are detached from reality, listening only to people they want to hear, and playing politics on a grand scale. If he demurs, then they’ll kick him out. If he follows instructions, he risks the destruction of the union through significant loss of membership. He’s also had enough of the dispute by the looks of him (I’ve seen him a couple of times in the last week, albeit on the street, and never seen him so weary).

By all accounts Mick Lynch is one of the most popular union leaders with the general public

Public perhaps. His National Executive Committee, not so much.

The street word did not come from someone who would know that!

Is there anyone more hard line available?

Dempsey?

Eddie isn’t hard line. Hedley is. Very.

Don’t you think it would be better for all concerned if the government engaged with the unions and thrashed out a reasonable offer, for a mutually agreed compromise on Ts and Cs?

But both the RMT and ASLEF have recently stated, publicly, that they are not interested in any compromise on T’s and Cs or modernisation. Worth pointing out, for the avoidance of doubt, that there are no enforced chanegs to T’s and Cs in the NR maintenance dispute.

On a practical note, given network rail is only striking on the 16th, can we expect a fairly normal service on the other days? SE for example is a DOO TOC, with above ground stations that can be unstaffed - so unless ASLEF go out too, I’m guessing a normal ish service on the other days?

Too early to say. I would expect:

16th as per previous RMT strike days, perhaps with a few more services running in olac3s
17th late start, building to normal service
18th TOCs affected running limited service, unaffected TOCs normal service
19th - 25th normal service
26 March - 1 April reduced service (no idea how much reduced); except on 30th / 1st which will be same as 18th
2 April - 8 April normal service(with Easter engineering works on 7th / 8th in a few places)
9 April - 15 April reduced service (no idea how much reduced)
16 April - 22 April normal service
23 April - 29 April reduced service (no idea how much reduced).

This is all before ASLEF announce any strike action, which will add to the disruption. TSSA are in no position to announce any action.

The members of the union chose this action, not Mick Lynch, not the NEC.

Not so. The NEC decided it - this afternoon - based on feedback received from small proportion of the members, relayed to it by the branches. As ever, those who were heard were those that are the most vocal.

Had it been put to a vote, then your statement would have been correct.

 

[ar10642]

National Express are advertising extra coach services to the Cheltenham festival because of the strikes.

Everyone who wants to go to Cheltenham will get there one way or another

 

[Facing Back]

Oh he’s just lovely, his suits add to the ambience in those excellent documentaries.

Let’s be honest most sensible people think Thatcher did the right thing in terms of bringing the unions to heel in the 70s; note that’s thatcher, an intelligent politician, who increased public sector pay before commencing war on the mining unions. Strikingly different to Truss and we know what happened there.

That early 80s scenario had zero relevance to what is happening today.

Whilst I sense a tiny bit of irony in the "lovely", he came to speak at an emerging technology conference I was at decades ago. One of our team bumped into him - very literally - and whilst he was apologsing and helping her pick up her stuff, she asked him to come along.

He was full of piss and vinegar and quite right wing, but he spoke eloquently and at length about the railways. A lot about the heritage and history, but also about the opportunities for the future and the UK's opportunity to be a market leader. It was well worth listening to.

He was quite boringly dressed

 

[aleandrail]

Unfortunately the xmas strikes didn't do the trick, now Cheltenham races seems to be the last throw of the dice.
The public have got used to the strikes, the NHS have got the public sympathy and this announcement won't make the front pages.
The government have held firm and just need to make a minor tweak to the offer to give the union an exit from the siding they've driven down.

I do not think it will affect Cheltenham a great deal. Its a big occasion in the racing world and people will make it any which way they can. They provided 16 extra trains per day last year, which against the xmas period is quite low and as you say it didn't do the trick then.

 

[DarloRich]

Not so. The NEC decided it - this afternoon - based on feedback received from small proportion of the members, relayed to it by the branches. As ever, those who were heard were those that are the most vocal.

Had it been put to a vote, then your statement would have been correct.

I think in fairness we should say the executive council acted on the feedback recieved via the mechanism it adopted to deliver that feedback.

I was suprised they did not put it to a vote if only to give them political cover to reject the offer on that basis.

That said i suspect an NR vote might have been close. Cant say for the toccers

 

[43066]

He’s also had enough of the dispute by the looks of him (I’ve seen him a couple of times in the last week, albeit on the street, and never seen him so weary).

Haven’t we all had enough of the dispute by now?

But both the RMT and ASLEF have recently stated, publicly, that they are not interested in any compromise on T’s and Cs or modernisation.

Modernisation is a loaded term though, isn’t it, when it’s your Ts and Cs that are affected? I realise yours likely aren’t.

Everyone who wants to go to Cheltenham will get there one way or another

Just not by train.

Whilst I sense a tiny bit of irony in the "lovely", he came to speak at an emerging technology conference I was at decades ago. One of our team bumped into him - very literally - and whilst he was apologsing and helping her pick up her stuff, she asked him to come along.

He was full of piss and vinegar and quite right wing, but he spoke eloquently and at length about the railways. A lot about the heritage and history, but also about the opportunities for the future and the UK's opportunity to be a market leader. It was well worth listening to.

Can’t speak for your colleague of course, I’m not sure what “she asked him to come along” means, I’m pretty sure he’s gay?

I just really like the bloke, whilever he’s a conservative, I’ll either vote Tory, or not vote!

 

[Facing Back]

Can’t speak for your colleague of course, I’m not sure what “she asked him to come along” means, I’m pretty sure he’s gay?

I just really like the bloke, whilever he’s a conservative, I’ll either vote Tory, or not vote!

Lol she asked him to come along and speak. Nothing loaded about it and he's a gentleman and said yes after planting her on her arse in the middle of Petty France.

He gave a great speech, partly political but mostly passionate and hilarious. He didn't charge but asked us to make a contribution to a relevant charity (not in his name).

I like him too.

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Eddie isn’t hard line. Hedley is. Very.

Also an alleged domestic abuser - I wonder how the RMT's female members would react to him becoming General Secretary. Not to mention how the membership would react to such a coup.

My suggestion of Dempsey was based on the photo of him posing with one of Putin's warlords in Luhansk.

 

[Jonny]

The trade unions need to look themselves in the mirror and ask themselves if all they will achieve is to give the government more impetus to introduce anti-strike legislation.

 

[Facing Back]

Modernisation is a loaded term though, isn’t it, when it’s your Ts and Cs that are affected? I realise yours likely aren’t.

I agree modernisation is a term with a wide variety of meanings. Do you really believe that saying "no changes" is a better way to proceed rather than a negotiation which moderates the impact?

 

[ar10642]

There are quite a number of people who post on here who, for reasons only known to themselves, cannot bear the prospect that the people responsible for their hobby might be fairly rewarded for their work, or have hard-won terms and conditions respected. It'd take quite the leap of imagination to consider it wasn't entirely borne of envy, be that of the T&Cs themselves, or that a workforce has the self-respect to stand up for themselves where they themselves would simply bend over.

I'd leave them to it, literally nothing they say or dream of has any effect whatsoever on negotiations or the eventual outcome. Speaking as a driver not involved in the disputes, the only effect they've actually had where I'm concerned is to ensure nobody else who shares their hobby gets anything they ask me for (such as a toot of the horn, a chance to take a photo of my cab, or even a friendly wave) any more. Small kids are the only people I even acknowledge nowadays, and that's pretty sad, but the days of me having anything but scorn or disdain for 'enthusiasts' are long gone. This is people's livelihoods, and cheerleading for other people to have their terms and conditions annihilated leaves the sourest taste in the mouth, typical as it is of the toxic nation we now find ourselves living in.

So your message is everyone's jealous of you and if we don't accept indefinite disruption to our work and leisure plans you won't go toot toot?

We just want to be able to get to where we're supposed to be going without getting dragged into whatever war you're having with the government. If you want an echo chamber I suggest you set up a staff only forum.

 

[Bald Rick]

Also an alleged domestic abuser - I wonder how the RMT's female members would react to him becoming General Secretary. Not to mention how the membership would react to such a coup.

AIUI he has a conviction for assault. He was certainly sacked from the railway for assaulting a colleague. (Which he denied vehemently. Right up until the CCTV proved otherwise. So not only a pugilist, but also a liar).

 

[Facing Back]

But both the RMT and ASLEF have recently stated, publicly, that they are not interested in any compromise on T’s and Cs or modernisation. Worth pointing out, for the avoidance of doubt, that there are no enforced chanegs to T’s and Cs in the NR maintenance dispute.

If the RMT's hard line continues to increase, are you confident that NR will not enforce changes in the future? Or is the projection that the direction of travel in people accepting them plus new starters will be sustainable in any case?

 

[Bald Rick]

Haven’t we all had enough of the dispute by now?

They unions are putting Comms out saying the strikes could continue for months, so they seem to be saying they are ready to continue; by implication this suggests they have not had enough until they get their way. But the leadership are clearly suffering personally.

If the RMT's hard line continues to increase, are you confident that NR will not enforce changes in the future? Or is the projection that the direction of travel in people accepting them plus new starters will be sustainable in any case?

The changes are already happening! Local consultation is progressing to a conclusion. Fairly soon it will be done and the changes will be implemented. Certainly before this round of action is finished.

 

[LUYMun]

Are workers on open access operators going on strike? Because I have been told that apparently they have resolved their dispute.