RMT MEMBERS VOTE FOUR TO ONE FOR ACTION AT ARRIVA CROSS COUNTRY

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: july/august 2009 :: RMTnews 5 R MT members working for Arriva Cross Country have vote overwhelmingly by four to one on a 55 per cent turnout to take action in a dispute over a breakdown in industrial relations around pay and a series of issues relating to working conditions. The ballot, for action short of a strike, has given the union a solid mandate to take the dispute forward. Arriva Cross Country runs rail services over a wide geographical area stretching across England and into Wales and Scotland. RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said that members had voted by a massive margin for action, reflecting just how angry they are at the company’s divisive approach to both pay and a range of issues relating to working conditions. “It’s that approach which has led to this breakdown in industrial relations. “RMT company representatives will now discuss the strategy for taking this dispute forward. “RMT remains available for talks and we would encourage Arriva Cross Country to take the opportunity to sit down and work out an agreement on pay and service conditions which gives all staff a fair deal,” he said. R MT members working on National Express East Anglia have voted by a massive nine to one majority in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay, conditions and reorganisation. RMT will be taking strike action on the following dates in conjunction with ASLEF members: Thursday July 30 to Friday July 31 Thursday August 6 to Friday August 7 Thursday August 13 to Friday August 14 Thursday August 20 to Friday August 21 National Express has made nearly half a billion pounds in profits from their rail operations over the past ten years while sucking in £2.5 billion in subsidies over the same period. RMT have also issued a call to the government to take urgent and decisive action over National Express which, after defaulting on its East Coast Main line franchise, is fighting to hold onto the East Anglia and c2c franchises, contrary to the cross-default rules. The company is also sending signals that they may even fight to retain the East Coast Main line despite the announcement by Lord Adonis that it is to be renationalised. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that there was no doubt that the failure to make any kind of meaningful pay offer to staff on East Anglia was all about trying to milk the franchises and make their staff pay for a crisis which was cooked up in the boardroom by senior managers who have now jumped ship. “RMT members have shown in this ballot that they are not prepared to be the victims of the National Express franchise chaos and that they are determined to fight for a decent pay rise and for decent working conditions. “This company has made half a billion in profits out of our members over the past decade, it’s a scandal that they are offering their staff peanuts in return,” he said. See page 8/9 STRIKE DATES AT NATIONAL EXPRESS EAST ANGLIA RMT MEMBERS VOTE FOUR TO ONE FOR ACTION AT ARRIVA CROSS COUNTRY