RMT MEMBERS ELECTED TO NETWORK RAIL’S NATIONAL COUNCIL

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: april 2010 :: RMTnews 17 Members who work at Network Rail are represented on the National Council for the next three years by Chris Smart, Phil Boorman and Doug Hill. All three were elected by rank and file members through a one member, one vote postal ballot. The purpose of the National Council is to represent all members whose terms and conditions are regulated by joint agreement with RMT. The National Council is made up of around nine trade union representatives of which four are from RMT. Representatives attend meetings to negotiate pay and allowances, remuneration systems, grade structures and general conditions of employment such as promotion, transfer, redundancy and resettlement arrangements. Once matters have been agreed by the National Council they are referred to the Area or Local Councils for implementation. It is also a forum for consultation on matters of mutual interest such as working practices, discipline, welfare and equal employment opportunities. The Council can also agree to changes to the collective bargaining procedure, the constitutions of Area Councils and the arrangements for Area level representation. Meetings of the National Council are held whenever necessary and at least within 28 days of a request for a meeting. Members can also expect to see minutes of these meetings within 28 days. Phil Boorman is a signaller working in Ashford IECC and is a RMT Area Council Representative (Kent Route). Phil joined the railway in 1983 when it was still known as British Rail. On his first day at work the area manager ensured that Phil signed his contract, joined the railway pension scheme and, most importantly, joined the National Union of Railwaymen. His first RMT Representative position was as a health, safety and welfare representative. “Why become a Representative? You get a much better understanding of the job and you get to help members. “You meet and make friends with an excellent group of people - RMT members. “I would encourage any RMT member to try and spare a little time to find out more about the union and talk to your Representatives. If you think they are not doing a good job, put yourself forward and give it a go!” Phil told RMT News. Chris Smart is a roster clerk working in Square One, Manchester and is a RMT Area Council Representative (LNW Central). Chris started on the railway in 1990 as part of the railway training scheme. On the first week in the job he was recruited into the union by an organiser at Worcester. Chris has been a rep in many workplaces across the country from Cardiff to Swindon, Hereford to Manchester. Chris told RMT News that “the most important thing that any RMT Member can do is stand for election as a rep. “Organising our workplaces is extremely important and wherever possible it should be 100 per cent RMT. “The National Council Representative position is there to stand up for the Members, Local and Area Representatives, without your support we can not fight back and protect members,” he said. Doug Hill is a signaller working in Scotland and is also a RMT Area Council Representative. The RMT National Council Reps look forward to representing members over the next three years and doing everything possible to defend their rights in their workplaces. If you need any information about the work of the RMT National Council Representatives please contact Chris at tramssirhc@yahoo.co.uk with your question or query. RMT members should always contact their RMT local level rep first if they have any problems at work. Delegates paid tribute to grades conference secretary John Hemsley who has stood down from the position after 12 years in the post. Wendell Drakes presented John with a gift on behalf of delegates and thanked him for all his hard work. “When the conference met back in 1997 there were just ten delegates and today over 60 have come to debate issues affecting them at work. “Thanks John you will be a hard act to follow,” he said. John will still be around to help out the newly-elected conference secretary Rosalyn Fong and the committee will be relying on his experience during the handover period. John now runs the Victoria Hotel in Great Yarmouth and invites RMT members to come and stay at reduced rates. cuts in a bid to maximise the returns to their shareholders regardless of the impact on services and passenger safety. RMT general secretary Bob Crow has warned that the company has been itching to move to un-staffed stations with people replaced by machines because they see that as a way of pumping up profits. “This is rail franchising in action – profits are all that matters and they see staff and passengers. “The threat of attacks at un-staffed stations is well documented and the government should be stepping in and taking action against these train operators who are prepared to leave the public dangerously exposed in the dash to line their own pockets,” he said. NEXT CONFERENCE Delegates noted that next years grades conference, meeting in Bournemouth in March 2011, will take motions that seek to add, amend or change conference rules. Conference agreed that such motions should reach the conference secretary by December 1 2010 which will be circulated by December 15 2010. RMT MEMBERS ELECTED TO NETWORK RAIL’S NATIONAL COUNCIL RMT members elect three new reps to Network Rail’s National Council to represent the interests of operations and customer services staff HEMSLEY BOWS OUT