NETWORK RAIL DISPUTE UPDATE

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: may 2010 :: RMTnews 12 Catering workers must stand together and organise as never before to resist attacks on jobs and conditions from train operators and contractors, delegates at the catering grades conference resolved. Whoever was to win the general election, working people, including transport workers, would have to rebuff attempts to bolster profits at their expense, delegates noted. Transport catering workers were too often seen as expendable – and the union would have to organise to resist and to harness public opinion to keep services in place, said EC member Owen Herbert, Swansea. Attacks on catering grades were the height of hypocrisy from company directors on telephone-number salaries. “We have to stick together and organise, not just within our own TOCs and outlets, but across the industry,” said Owen, pledging to improve communications among catering grades. Employers were increasingly using anti-union laws to head off strike action, so it was necessary to ensure that we were better prepared and better organised with, membership lists updated, said assistant general secretary Pat Sikorski. Guards were already in the thick of dispute at Scotrail, with the prospect of nationwide action, while rail track workers and signallers were in dispute with Network Rail, and the collapse of Jarvis was being used to attack workers’ pay and conditions. Ultimately the railways would have to be have to re- integrated and renationalised and run safely for people, not for profit said Pat. RIGHT TO SAFETY The collapse of Jarvis was an act of industrial vandalism being used to attack jobs and conditions and the right to organise – and it was totally bound up with the attack by Network Rail on 1,500 maintenance jobs, said Derek England, Leeds City. All on-board crew should know that they were entitled to refuse to allow themselves to be put in danger if NR could not guarantee the integrity of the infrastructure. DEFEND RFA The possible fragmentation and privatisation of the Royal Fleet Auxillary was condemned by delegates, who noted that catering grades were always among the first to be attacked by privateers. The union should highlight CATERING STAFF ORGANISE TO RESIST ATTACKS Spirit of resistance shines through as catering grades meet in sunny Bournemouth RMT has been involved in discussions with Network Rail under the auspices of the conciliation service Acas regarding the dispute with the company over its maintenance reorganisation proposals. Network Rail has now issued its latest position publicly, which has come a few weeks after management side said that they would “take stock” of RMT representations. All documentation on the proposals can be viewed on your union’s website at www.rmt.org.uk/networkrail Their position has certainly been modified through the discussions and as a result of the strong RMT opposition to its original proposals and on the fact that members voted so overwhelmingly for strike action on the matter. Presently, the company’s position now is just that - it is not an agreement or any indication that their latest proposals have been accepted by RMT in any way. The union reiterates that no agreement will be reached without further consultation with RMT members affected and their representatives. RMT general secretary Bob Crow reiterated that the union does not believe that planned job cuts had anything to do with overstaffing, new technology or outdated working practices, but was a dangerous money-saving gamble. “We already know that inspections and maintenance frequencies are overstretched and that most safety recommendations made after the Grayrigg crash have not been implemented in full or in part. “NR knows as well as our skilled members that signalling systems need more maintenance, not less, that there is no widespread introduction of new technology, and that the conditions it wants to rip up have been negotiated in recent years,” he said. He said that NR is under pressure to slash 21 per cent from its budget, wants to axe 1,500 front-line posts, lump maintenance functions onto over-worked signallers, and impose changes that would undermine rail safety and make another disaster inevitable. “While we are pleased that Network Rail bosses are now prepared to talk, running to the high court to overturn a democratic vote for strike action is no way to settle a bona- fide dispute,” he said. Company reveals its latest proposals for discussion with the union following an overwhelming vote for industrial action and the courts banning strike action NETWORK RAIL DISPUTE UPDATE