ENGINEERING CONFERENCE - TOWARDS NATIONAL BARGAINING

RMTnews :: may 2005 12 DELEGATES agreed that the union should campaign for a “comprehensive and meaningful” collective bargaining machinery for grades covered by conference, including those still outside Network Rail. Steve Smart, March and District said that harmonising the myriad of different pay rates and conditions would be a long and difficult task, but it had to be done. “In Network Rail we are looking at a clean sheet of paper on which to create a system for the betterment of all,” he said. Mark Farrington, Warrington District warned that the use of ‘role clarity’ could be used to “blur grades” and undermine conditions. “We need to protect grade structures in this process and stop management abandoning competency levels,” he said. John Boyle, Wishaw and Motherwell said that those private companies not brought back in-house under Network Rail were ignoring procedures and making people redundant. “We need one standard across the industry ensure the protection of jobs, pay, conditions and the health and safety of all our infrastructure members,” he said. Bill Rawcliffe, York and District reminded conference that being brought back in- house was not a cure-all. “Network Rail is not British Rail, it is driven by cost and profit,” he said. Danny McNicol, East Midlands warned that the sort of harmonisation required would “come to nothing” if PT&R arrangements were not protected and abuses investigated thoroughly by the union. Conference resolved to convene a special two-day conference at the earliest opportunity. DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING Drug and alcohol testing methods should be reviewed and those tested should not be kept beyond their normal hours of work, conference agreed. Steve Wallace, Fort William said he had been held for hours after work for a drug and alcohol test. “This is false imprisonment and constituents a breach of human rights,” he said. Doug Hammersley, Signal, Electrical and Track London Underground said that the computers being used to pick out staff for testing were very impressive as very often they chose RMT reps. Dave Hobbs, Newport said that testing was being carried out by “shoddy” contract firms and that there was clearly a need to inform members what their rights are. Assistant general secretary Mick Cash said that increasingly Network Rail was bringing in random screening. “This is being done without consultation with the union and the consensus on the issue is breaking down,” he said. Greg Hewitt, Brighton reported that staff were being forced to give urine samples on the track without “dignity of privacy”. Willie Devlin, SET London Underground said it was necessary to find out what was going on in each area in order to establish national standards. “In LUL we had the case of the Farringdon Five where staff were found to be negative and were still sacked” he said. Barry West, Cornwall Mid West reminded conference that Network Rail’s own code stated what drugs rendered workers unfit for work under rule 3.2 and this imformation should be more widely distributed. IMPLEMENT WELFARE RULES Conference agreed that it was time that Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommendations for provision of welfare facilities at infrastructure maintenance and renewal sites. Brendan Kelly, Bristol Rail said that some contractors ignore health and safety recommendations for welfare facilities for transient workers. These facilities include adequate washing, toilet, rest and changing facilities and somewhere clean to eat and drink during breaks. “Now many people have been transferred over to Network Rail it is time for a new start and start spending some profits on decent facilities for the workforce. “If we are still discussing this issue next year with no improvements we will have failed as a union,” he warned. Gerry McCann, Ayr added that many female workers were coming into the industry, making it even more important “to get this sorted out once and for all”. Peter Trend, reporting for the Council of Executives, said that the union had made representations to Network Rail over the issue and the union’s Towards national Engineering grades meeting in Sheffield agreed to convene a special two-day conference to discuss the need for national collective bargaining