MERSEYRAIL

RMTnews :: june 2005 6 S trike action by 170 RMT guards at Merseyrail was suspended earlier this month following an offer of meaningful negotiations aimed at finding a solution to the long-running 35-hour week dispute. Merseyrail guards have held five strike days so far and action is still scheduled for July 9, pending the talks’ outcome. “Our members’ rock-solid action has had a devastating effect on Merseyrail services on five strike days, and shows their absolute determination to win the 35-hour week they have been waiting for for four years,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. Merseyrail have now agreed to break the impasse by dealing with the question of the 35-hour week in line with other pay and conditions issues for guards, rather than in the general pay negotiations. “The company has set aside three days for intensive talks on this issue and as a result, after consulting our reps, the RMT executive has suspended the action,” Bob Crow said. Members voted by a margin of 20 to one to strike after rejecting unacceptable strings that would have seen members paying for their 35-hour week by losing rest days. The company’s most recent offer was also rejected, by a margin of more than eight to one. MERSEYRAIL GUARDS SUSPEND ACTION FOR TALKS R MT is demanding the re- instatement of two Merseyrail ticket collectors sacked for listening in to the television commentary of Liverpool’s European Cup victory over AC Milan last month. The two – one a Reds fan and the other an Evertonian – had their appeals thrown out despite the fact that the miniature TV set involved had no picture and the two were on a rest between trains on non- safety critical duties. “This is as absurd as it is shocking – Merseyrail have gone way, way over the top,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. He said that the company was completely into the hype in the lead up to the match. They had staff filmed singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and encouraged employees to bring radio sets in to work, and yet they have sacked two non-safety critical staff for listening in to the commentary on a broken TV in a staff rest room. “We hope the company sees sense and re-instates the two at a director’s review, but our Merseyrail members are seriously angry about this and we are already being asked to ballot for action,” Bob said. “It’s hardly surprising that Merseyrail have got serious industrial relations problems if they react in such a hypocritical way,” said RMT regional organiser John Tilley. “I hope Reds and Blues fans alike will bombard the company with calls and emails urging them to re-instate our members,” John said. RMT DEMANDS RE-INSTATEMENT PROTECTING AND PROMOTING OUR MEMBERS’ INTERESTS. Our personal injury lawyers won’t let bad employers get away with it. RMT fight back: The law says workers have a right to safe conditions – and RMT is here to defend that right. That’s why our Personal Injury Service is free – and even covers non-work related accidents for family members. So if you, or a member of your family, have suffered an illness or injury due to someone else’s fault, call us now. FOR FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE CALL THE HELPLINE 0800 587 751? in England, Wales and Ireland 0800 328 1014 in Scotland