STRIKE MANDATE AT CAL MAC

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2015 :: RMTnews 15 RMT members working at Caledonian MacBrayne have voted overwhelmingly for strike action against attacks on pensions and collective bargaining which are under threat due to the tendering process. Members voted 92 per cent for strike action and 98 per cent for action short of a strike on a 60 per cent turnout. An earlier dispute was cancelled three years ago when Transport Scotland announced that the tendering process would be deferred until 2015/16. RMT went in dispute with CalMac again after the company has failed to provide the union with the assurances required following recent discussions and in relation to the forthcoming tendering process. RMT is determined that jobs, pay, conditions of service and pensions should not be attacked and the union is seeking simple assurances to protect the workforce as follows:- Job Security – There must be no compulsory redundancies and no changes to staffing levels Conditions of Service –There will be no changes to conditions of service without agreement being reached with the union Pensions – a guarantee that all members will remain in the current pension scheme and that no changes will be made to the scheme without agreement being reached RMT has also stated that regardless of who wins any future tender, all members should remain employed by Caledonian MacBrayne as this is by far the best way to protect career options, pension entitlement and working practices. PENSIONS Cal Mac management proposes to make the following changes to the pension fund including increasing member contributions from six per cent to 9.5 per cent - this will result in members take home pay being drastically reduced Cal Mac also wants to align the Normal Pension Age of the fund with the increases to the State Pension Age – this will result in members potentially having to work an extra one, two and eventually three years. It also wants to change the fund from a Final Salary scheme to Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme – this will result in members’ pensions being considerably reduced at retirement. Finally the company wants pensions in payment to be increased in line with CPI to a maximum of 2.5 per cent, not RPI - this will result in members’ pensions not keeping up with inflation and being worth less. RMT general secretary said that the proposals were nothing more than an attack on members deferred wages. “Not only do management want to reduce members’ potential retirement benefits, make them work longer, reduce the value of their pension at retirement, they also want them to pay more for the pleasure. “In light of this attack and also concerns that job security and terms and conditions are under threat, members have now made their feelings clear and back industrial action. “It is now up to Caledonian MacBrayne management to step back from these blatant attacks on our members and get back around the table,” he said. STRIKE MANDATE AT CAL MAC Members at Caledonian MacBrayne back action on jobs, pay and pensions