BOMBARDIER VICTORY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2014 :: RMTnews 4 R MT members working on Docklands Light Railways have won a three per cent pay rise and an extra day’s leave after voting in favour of industrial action. RMT cleaning members on the DLR, working for Carlisle contractors, have also won a commitment for pay rates to be raised above the London Living wage from the start of the new franchise. After a formal offer was finally made, RMT called off all planned action by both sets of workers due to take place earlier this month. The deal includes a three per cent increase to basic pay, including shift premiums where applicable and overtime rates or a minimum increase in basic pay of £1,200 whichever is higher. The deal involves another day of annual leave in addition to the 30 days that employees already enjoy. This is a gesture of goodwill as the franchise comes into its final year. RMT regional organiser John Leach congratulated the members for their resolve, which has forced the company into addressing demands for improved pay levels and London Living Wage. R MT is demanding an end to unscheduled ticket office closures at Penrith station by Virgin Trains. The union has even won the backing of local Tory MP Rory Stewart over the closures which RMT believes is down to a lack of cover due to job losses in particular at Carlisle. Virgin has refused to attend a meeting with the union over the issue convened by the MP. Instead the company put posters up saying it was now asking the Department of Transport for permission to reduce the opening hours of the ticket office by over three hours a day. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the union would resist the running down of services and staffing levels. “This kind of salami slicing of a public service in the name of profit is part of the nationwide agenda set by the McNulty report. “As the reality of this process hits home even Tory MPs are backing our campaign,” he said. R MT members on Greater Anglia’s West Anglia route took industrial action earlier this month in a dispute over the removal of cleaners on the route. The company had tried to bulldoze through the removal of station cleaners posts and enforce “flexible working” on remaining staff. Greater Anglia has been endeavouring to scrap cleaners on the West Anglia stations and attempted to bypass procedures agreed with the union in order to rush through proposals that would force other staff to undertake the duties. Greater Anglia dressed up the whole package as “flexible working”. An earlier phase of industrial action had been suspended but despite the best efforts of union negotiators the company has refused to address staff concerns. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the union would not tolerate a situation where Greater Anglia ignored and abused agreed procedures to bulldoze through changes that have serious implications for our members and the quality of service offered to the travelling public. STRIKE AT GREATER ANGLIA SAVE PENRITH TICKET OFFICE DOCKLANDS VICTORY R MT has welcomed the news that Derby-based train manufacturer Bombardier has won the £1.6 billion contract to build 600 trains for Crossrail. The order will create hundreds of jobs and save the 175 year-old works in Derby which was under threat after the Tory/Lib Dem government handed the £1.6 billion Thameslink train-making contract to German giant Siemens in 2011. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that it was a fantastic and deserved result and congratulated the Daily Mirror for supporting the campaign for British jobs. “This comes after a long running campaign led by RMT and the local community in Derby in the wake of the Thameslink fleet shambles , which will go a long way to saving the future of train building in the nation that gave the railways to the world. "RMT will fight to defend British workers' jobs in every corner of the country from Bombardier in Derby to London Underground and this announcement is just more evidence that when we stand and fight together we can win,” he said. The union has consistently pointed out that successive governments have rolled over and failed to protect industry in this country against EU public procurement and competition rules which demand that contracts must be tendered across Europe. In contrast France and Germany load contracts to take into account the economic and social impact locally. Tory transport minister Theresa May admitted in 2011 that her government could have built the wider economic impact of awarding contracts overseas but failed to do so. BOMBARDIER VICTORY