Catering grades conference

L ONE working by catering staff is on the increase on the rail network leading to unsafe working conditions and exposure to verbal and physical abuse, conference agreed. Mandy Evans, Swansea No 1 said that employers were not following legislation to protect staff against attacks after football matches and on late night trains. Chris Bryant of Plymouth No 1 said that attacks on staff in Devon and Cornwall increased on late night trains when lone working was in place. Derek England, Leeds said that when attacks occur members should fill out incident forms and inform a health and safety rep in order to build up a picture of what is happening. “If management does not act upon this information then they are condoning the treatment suffered by staff,” he said. Bristol delegate Andrew Jefferies said that staff in his area were also having guaranteed car parking taken away from them. “Female staff are being told to park their cars in town and are being expected to walk some way to retrieve their vehicles late at night, that needs to be addressed,” he said. Conference instructed the union to act upon legislation that states that employers must consider risks to employees and decide what to do to prevent such risks and develop a plan to make sure that happens. Emergency at Virgin Conference agreed that Virgin Crosscountry should provide adequate training to reflect the company’s policy requring catering staff to “assist the train manager” in the event of emergencies. Plymouth delegate Chris Bryant said the company expected staff to be responsible for the safety of the passengers without the training or pay to reflect those duties. “Catering staff have not been trained in evacuation procedures, so how can they be expected to carry out these duties?” he said. Candy Kefford, Euston No 1 warned that such training may be used as a stick against staff and increase responsi- bilities for little reward. Derek England, Leeds said that any agreement should be drawn up in conjunction with other grades which may be impacted by such a move. Conference called on the union to request that Virgin Crosscountry clarify procedures and reflect any such responsibilities in the pay of catering staff. Virgin blackout The Virgin on-board safety book also states that catering staff must take over the role of train manager in the case of emergencies including providing information to customers and liaising with the driver. However, Michael Greaves of Plymouth No1 pointed out that when Virgin Voyagers lose power, all lights and communi- cations with the train manager, driver and passengers are cut. “You are in complete darkness and it is not funny. “Although management provide lists of telephone numbers of staff you can’t see the list in the dark and phones are blocked and are for internal railway numbers only. “We are left feeling like a passenger rather than part of the train crew,” he said. Conference agreed to call on the union to campaign for Virgin to supply torches and unblocked phones to allow retail service managers carry out such duties in RMT news – Catering grades conference 20 Unity against lone working Catering grades conference met in Torquay last month to discuss pressing issues, including the growing problem of lone working. CATERING GRADES president Owen Herbert welcomed the good turnout of members attending conference in Torquay. “It is good to see new faces as we need to strengthen our grade which represents thousands of workers on trains, platform concourses and ships. “Catering represents big business but workers suffer low pay and poor conditions and there are is a high turnover of staff as a result,” he said. He said that catering workers were sometimes seen as second class employees. “But catering staff are front line workers that run the same risks as other rail workers and suffer abuse from the public and sometimes even other transport workers. “We have been described as “Kit Kat” sellers, but we are more than that and we deserve respect,” he said. President’s address Catering staff are frontline workers MANDY EVANS: Staff are not protected against attacks fron the public CANDY KEFFORD: Staff should be paid more for carrying out safety procedures emergencies. G Conference agreed to call on the union to demand that train operating companies provide adequate and across the board aftercare for staff involved in major accidents. Work/life balance THE union should inform members what maternaty and paternaty rights they are entitled to, conference agreed. Candy Kefford, Euston said that childcare and other care issues related to both men and women. “Members need to know what they can claim for and the union needs to provide up to date information on legislation pertaining to childcare, work/life balance and primary care,” she said. Derek England, Leeds said that one of the problems to getting time off or flexible working arrangements staff had to put forward a “business case”. “If the request is declined you have to wait a year before reapplying,” he said. What was required was a template provided by the union to put forward a business case. Andy Lister, Council of Executives said that guidelines should be drawn up by the union as it was a general problem across the transport industry. Conference called for a full list of maternity and paternity rights presently guaranteed under the law to be printed in a future edition of RMT news. G Conference agreed that a relief catering council represen- tative be elected in order to cover when council members are unable to attend meetings. G Conference agreed that company catering councils distribute all minutes to branch secretaries and LLC reps. G Conference stood for a minute’s silence in memory of former conference secretary Gareth Jones who has passed away. G Conference agreed to hold next year’s meeting in Great Yarmouth. RMT news – Catering grades conference ASSISTANT general secretary Mick Cash told conference that the chief executive of Compass received half a million pounds last year. However, staff in Select Service Partners, part of Compass Catering, received a pay rise of just 5p above the minimum wage which currently stands at £4.80. “That such a huge gap exists is an absolute disgrace and a damning indictment of catering companies like Compass. “What makes it worse is that it would not be £4.85 except for the introduction of the minimum wage,” he said. Mick said that the union provided the organisation and industrial muscle that the employers understand. “However, that is what is missing in hotel and catering grades,” he said. He said that it was ironic that the one grade that cries out for better pay is the most difficult for us to organise. “High turnover and poor wages cause low levels of union membership and morale. “Where we are best organised is where we have a fairly stable membership and a good network of representatives. They act as recruiters but also deal with members’ problems, making the union real to workers ensuring that they stay members,” he said. He said that the train operating companies should bring catering services in- house where they have not done so already in order to create a stable working environment. First Scotrail were doing just that and catering currently provided by Eurest was to be brought in-house. “We support such moves because by cutting out the middle men we believe more money can be put into paying our members a decent living wage,” he said. He said that in the coming year RMT would like to work with activists to map out who provides catering for the TOCs and identify who pays what. “Despite these problems overall the union is doing well. “Membership is increasing, financially we are going from strength to strength and we continue to improve the services we provide,” he said. Respect for catering workers Lone working and staff safety were top of the agenda when catering delegates held their annual conference in Torquay last month 21