TRAIN CREW CHARTER LAUNCHED

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: july/august 2009 :: RMTnews 14 RMT general secretary Bob Crow launched the union’s Train Crew Charter describing it as a document that came about from a whole range of meetings and is ultimately written for train crew by train crew. “What it boils down to is a steadying up of what has taken place since privatisation. “Why is it that we had 26 TOC’s at the start of privatisation down to 21, 18, 17 and beyond that? “People are still working alongside each other with different rates of pay, different rostering parameters, different travel passes and different pension schemes. “It’s a whole maze out there of people doing the same job and at the end of the day all those train operating companies are running contracts for the government. “The government own all the contracts out there and there is no reason why, when they put these contracts out, that they can’t put down clear markers that if you win a contract you will be expected to do: A for the workers; B for the workers and C, D, E, F, and G. “Of course they are only worried about P-R, O, F, I, T, and S - profits,” Bob said. DEFENDING THE ROLE OF THE GUARD Attempts to undermine the role of guards by inadequately “training” managers and other staff for the role received the scorn of delegates. Steve O’Connor, Bletchley and Northampton, spoke in support of a motion opposing the use of managers carrying out guards’ duties. The resolution decried the fact that not only have some managers and other staff been supposedly trained to carry out guards’ duties but also noted that a number of these people are members of other trades unions. In disputes they are used to work the trains. It also argued that this was a deliberate attempt to undermine the democratic right of RMT to take action in the case of a legitimate dispute. “They are deskilling our grade, they are undermining us at every opportunity and it’s not managers working trains anymore, it’s any Tom, Dick and Harry they can find from the booking office, from the station grades, retail staff, anyone from all over the place,” Steve said. GUARDS ON HITACHI TRAINS Tom Strong, East Midlands Central called for the union to be involved in the configuration and running of the new Hitachi high speed trains that are due to be introduced into service in 2012, with emphasis on maintaining and increasing the role and responsibility of the guard. Talking about the general downplaying of the role of guards,Tom said: “make no bones about it, it will filter down to every other company. “They will deskill our role as a guard as far as they possibly can until they can take somebody in off the dole, give them two days training and send them out on a train. “We are not just fighting for what we want we are fighting for what the public want. Instead of making this an internal fight, let’s take this to the wider public”. HEALTH AND SAFETY Tony Gulley, Bristol Rail called for the union to campaign to change health and safety law that allows train and freight operating companies to mitigate their duty of care to traincrew members who are injured due to “the motion of the train”. He said that members had the right to be protected in their workplace. “TOCs and FOCs must take responsibility for staff, whatever their workplace. “They ask staff to work there therefore they must compensate and support staff when they are injured in their place of work, when carrying out their duties,” Tony said, winning unanimous support from the conference. PEOPLE’S CHARTER Assistant General Secretary Pat Sikorski promoted the People’s Charter and told conference that rail is the most green form of transport there is. “If you look at the charter you can see what’s laid out as a programme for the improvement of public services. “Energy, transport, water, telecommunications, keeping the post office in public ownership and an end to corporate profiteering in health and education, social and other public services. “We must stop the EU privatisation directives which are at the heart of the privatisation of every single one of those services. Read the rest of it, what could any socialist or trade unionist disagree with?” Pat said. Next year’s conference will be held from April 1-3 at the Royal Station Hotel in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Train Crew Charter Launched Traincrew and Shunting grades meeting in Hull launch charter