VIRGIN WEST COAST VICTORY

RMTnews :: may 2006 :: www.rmt.org.uk 6 S trike action by more than 50 station staff employed by Virgin West Coast has been suspended after the company drew back from imposing reductions in staff cover and agreed to re-start consultations. The problem began when management proposed a new roster which did away with four train dispatch positions, a move which local reps said would compromise safety. After voting more than ten to one for industrial action, members took 24 hour strike action with a 100 per cent turnout of RMT members in the booking office and platform grades. A further three days of strike action was planned over the Easter weekend before management agreed to withdraw the proposed roster and enter into proper discussions within the recognised machinery. “Virgin West Coast has shown good sense in coming back to the talks table after our members made it crystal clear that these new rosters were unacceptable,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. “We now hope there can be a constructive dialogue and that the company takes note not just of our members’ very clear view but also that of the travelling public, who want more, not fewer, staff on stations,” he said. (see letters, page 28) P lanned strike action by more than 750 RMT platform station staff and guards at newly re-privatised South Eastern Trains has forced the company to withdraw staff cuts and honour a pledge to staff ‘high-risk’ stations. Platform station staff had voted by more than six to one for action against the imposition of new working arrangements that would have reduced station-staff numbers. Some 350 guards had also voted for action after the company refused to fulfill a commitment to gate and staff a number of stations. However, the company has now agreed to revert to previous platform station- staff rosters and staffing levels. The company has also agreed to place two security staff at Hastings, Folkestone, Dover, Ramsgate and Margate stations from 15:00 through to last train, to base an additional team of Rail Enforcement Officers in the coastal region and ensure a greater presence of revenue- protection officers in east Kent. RMT members made it clear that imposing station- staff cuts and reneging on promises was simply not acceptable. Bob Crow welcomed the company's commitment to establish crime and security committees and to monitor and work actively to reduce assaults. "Rail workers and passengers alike have the right to go about their business in safety, and we hope the company will now accept that cutting front-line safety-critical staff is counter- productive," he said. R MT has welcomed Network Rail’s decision not to privatise infrastructure operations, such as signalling and maintenance, on Merseyside. When the plans were first announced to hand control of the 66-miles of track to Merseytravel last year, RMT threatened to ballot its entire Network Rail membership for strike action. However, Network Rail recently announced that retaining the track would avoid a long, risky and expensive transfer of assets. The move would have meant the compulsory transfer of staff back into the private sector after having only recently having been transferred back in-house. This would have had serious implications not only for those transferred, but for all 14,000 Network Rail members, their safety, job security, pay, conditions, pensions and their promotion and transfer arrangements. The proposed transfer was the thin end of a very large wedge that threatened to hand responsibility for all signalling operations and maintenance back to the private sector. The flawed concept of "local vertical integration" of infrastructure and train operations, would have led to further fragmentation of the rail network. The union strongly argued that the way to achieve vertical integration was to allow Network Rail to take control of rail operations. “We should remember that the private sector was kicked off rail maintenance for safety and efficiency reasons. “This decision is a good move for the industry, our members and the travelling public," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. VIRGIN WEST COAST VICTORY MERSEYRAIL TRACK TO STAY IN-HOUSE SOUTH EASTERN STAFF CUTS REVERSED