IMPROVED OFFER AT WIGHTLINK

RMTnews :: march 2008 :: www.rmt.org.uk 4 A number of Network Rail signalling reps have just completed a five-day education course at the union’s newly refurbished office in Dover. Local activists have been working hard to promote the facilities available to members in the area, including education courses. The office has established itself as a venue for trade union education and providing a venue for meetings and courses for other unions and trade councils. Incoming regional council education officer Mike Sargeant worked closely with the elected Network Rail Zonal rep for the area Phil Boorman, a signalman from Ashford, to get courses up and running. “Working with Bill Dickson, another experienced signalling rep, Phil visited every box in Kent recruiting and persuading potential reps,” Mike said. It was decided to run a two-day grievance and discipline course first, which proved very successful. Phil approached Network Rail with a view to running a five-day block release to get all new reps trained up in one go rather than one day at a time for ten weeks and the company agreed. EC member for the region Paul Burton visited the class during the week. “It was the first time we had run a block course in Dover for members who are all from the same grade and company and we are looking forward to carry out the same exercise wherever possible,” said Mike. N etwork Rail has been told by the union to improve its two-year pay and conditions offer to 7,000 signalling and other key operational staff or face ballots for industrial action by the two biggest rail unions. In co-ordinated referendums, members of RMT and TSSA in operational, customer services and project and engineering- support grades voted heavily to reject an offer, of 4.8 per cent this year and RPI plus 0.5 per cent next year. Unions had signalled that the offer for year one would be acceptable, but that the second-year element would not protect members against the rising cost of living, with key costs, including fuel bills and pension contributions, rising far faster than the official inflation rate. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that RMT members had voted by a margin of two to one to decisively to reject an inadequate offer that would leave them less well off. “Their verdict is quite clear and we have told Network Rail that unless there is an acceptable offer on the table within seven days we will put in place arrangements for a ballot for strike action,” he said. TSSA assistant general secretary Manuel Cortes said that TSSA members were now ready to vote on industrial action unless Network Rail came back to the table with a “sensible offer”. The company’s current two-year offer is of an increase of 4.8 per cent from January 2008 and Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 0.5 per cent from January 2009. It has also tabled a 6.7 per cent increase in London & South East allowances from April 2009, although with nothing offered in 2008, and an increase in the travel subsidy to 50 per cent in April 2008 and 60 per cent in April 2009. Course: L-R Frank Crompton TUC, Malcolm Dunning (Dover Shipping), Ron Cox (Hastings Rep), Mark Anderson (Thanet Rep), Bruce Morrison (High Speed Rail Link Rep), Derek Potter (Ashford IECC Rep), Kevin Lawrence (TDAC Rep), Paul Burton, Phil Boorman (Kent Area Rep) John Dadds (Mobile Operations Manager Rep) not pictured also attended the course. SIGNALLING SUCCESS AT DOVER NETWORK RAIL OPERATIONAL STAFF REJECT PAY OFFER W ightlink ferry company has improved an offer to the union on the eve of 24-hour strike action by more than 100 seafarers in a long-running dispute over the imposition of earlier rosters. Strike action planned for March 20 was suspended to allow members to be consulted on the offer. RMT seafarers on the company’s Portsmouth-Fishbourne route have been refusing to sign on for work before 05:30 since February 18, delaying early sailings on the route. Members also voted by more than two to one for strike action after attempts to negotiate with the company foundered. In addition to a payment of £75 for operating the earlier sailings this year only, the company has also agreed to schedule sailings for future years that do not require a start time before 05:30, and to involve RMT reps in drawing up schedules. RMT general secretary Bob Crow congratulated Wightlink members for their steadfast determination. “Clearly the threat of strike action has focused the minds of the management and led to a more sensible offer,” he said. IMPROVED OFFER AT WIGHTLINK