NETWORK RAIL HARMONISATION PROPOSALS REJECTED

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: march 2008 :: RMTnews 13 Delegates at the union’s special engineering grades conference in Doncaster delivered a unanimous rejection of Network Rail’s harmonisation proposals for infrastructure and maintenance staff. The conference issued a statement saying the “proposals are driven by business needs and a desire for profit, ahead of the safety and well-being and cost to our members”. Over 150 delegates agreed to a deadline of one week before the Annual Engineering Grades Conference on April 24 in order for management to make substantial improvements to their proposals or a ballot of all Network Rail maintenance members should take place for industrial action. Speaker after speaker expressed anger at management’s intransigent attitude over the two years that the negotiations have taken place since Network Rail took the maintenance contracts in- house. Senior Assistant General Secretary Mick Cash, referring to the joint working party which was established to look into harmonisation, said that management should “either listen to us or we go down another road”. Mick told delegates that negotiators had constantly put union policy to management, but “the problem is that the other side is not listening”. General Secretary Bob Crow said that the union had been patient with Network Rail management but now “we need to give them a deadline”. The union cannot allow management to drive a wedge between one group of workers on one set of terms and conditions and another group of workers on another, Bob said. CAMPAIGNING Urging delegates to organise special meetings at branch and LDC level to inform and engage members and non-members with the union’s campaign on harmonisation. Ultimately, Bob said, if members reject the proposals in a referendum, then the only way forward is for strike action. “You can drive a coach and horses through the proposals,” Bob said. Kenny Ray, Andover branch, said that members “have a battle on our hands and that we must be prepared to take these people on”. Steve Wallace, Fort William branch, acknowledged the hard job facing the negotiators during the joint working party meetings. The proposals on the table from management now are worse than the original documents produced last year, Steve said. Steve urged for more participation for Area Council Representatives into the negotiating process and for a more even spread over the different grade groups. Paul Simpson Derby branch said that, in the two years since the previous Special Conference, harmonisation has been replaced with a restructuring exercise. Gordon Martin, Wishaw and Motherwell branch said that timescales must now be given to management or strike action should be taken. Bob Crow said that, with no change in attitude from management in the very near future, then the only way to defend members’ jobs was to take strike action. He said that there were big stakes to play for and should mean that the members “don’t go back until we win”. He said that the four things the union needed to do now is to reject the proposals, engage the members, ballot for action and then to strike. Mark Farrington, Liverpool No5 branch said he agreed with the general secretary but asked where the RMT’s demands were in this process. Bob answered that the union’s demands were clear at the outset of the harmonisation process and can be easily found on the RMT web site. Alex Hogg, Edinburgh and Portobello branch said that there needed to be a debate on the stand taken by the union’s negotiators during the JWP and on a strategy to be taken now. Kenny Ray said that it was time to “put on a united front and the endgame will be in sight”. NETWORK RAIL HARMONISATION PROPOSALS REJECTED Statement adopted by Special Engineering Grades Conference in 2006 as starting point for harmonisation discussions. • Working week o 35 hour week without loss of pay o Move towards a 34 hour week and where possible a maximum 4 day rostered week over a 13 week cycle • Annual Leave o 28 days on entry plus Bank Holidays o 30 days after 10 years service plus Bank Holidays o No compulsory working on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day o Agreed enhancements for all the above working ADD ONS o Additional days for First Aiders (as per Jarvis agreement) o Additional day(s) for moving house APPLICATION OF ANNUAL LEAVE o Apply Jarvis Procedure plus annual premium to be paid to all staff • Sick Pay o Proceed with AMEY & BRIS Agreements i.e 39 weeks full pay • London allowance o Proceed with Network Rail Signallers Agreement • Pay o One Grading system o One set of Job Descriptions o Highest possible basic rates with allowances but recognising allowances can be reduced to increase the basic pay o 100% pensionable pay