MERSEYRAIL BADGES BAN

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: october 2015 :: RMTnews 10 S ignallers working out of the Swindon A and Thames Valley Centre took rock solid industrial action this month over the wholly unwarranted sacking of a colleague. All Signalling members at Swindon A and Thames Valley Signalling Centre are refusing to work any overtime for two weeks this month. RMT general secretary Mick Cash congratulated the members for the steadfast support for their colleague that the union believes has been unjustly sacked by Network Rail. “The action has had a real impact with managers being utilised in a desperate attempt to maintain a service but to the complete detriment of their own work. “As part of the scabbing operation, during the most recent action at TVSC there have been on average three contingent managers rostered per shift. “The result of this is that they are unable to train signallers for the new system they are looking to introduce at the end of this year which will have serious impact in the long term,” he said. Despite efforts to resolve the matter, regrettably the company has so far refused to budge but the union remains available for talks. R MT has hit back at train company Merseyrail for trying to ban its staff from wearing official union badges. RMT has distributed tens of thousands of “Keep the Guard on the Train – Keep the Train Safe” badges as part of a national campaign to defend guards jobs from a concerted effort, orchestrated by central government, to throw them off services and enforce a policy of Driver Only Operation. The badges are worn by guards and other staff grades supporting the fight to defend these safety critical jobs. But now Merseyrail, one of the companies looking to ditch guards in the name of increasing private profits, has tried to enforce a blanket ban on staff wearing the badges. With 207 guards facing the loss of the their jobs as the company presses on with a proposed cull of 393 posts as part of its so-called “fleet modernisation” programme, RMT has written to Merseyrail demanding the withdrawal of this “authoritarian diktat” which has led to staff facing the ritual humiliation of having managers demand that they remove their union badges. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was disgraceful that Merseyrail were attempting to ban staff from wearing official union badges that simply show support for a national RMT campaign to defend jobs and safety. “That is a shocking attack on the basic principles of freedom of expression and smacks of politically-motivated censorship to try and shut down any objections to company policy. “RMT is taking up this issue with Merseyrail and it follows warnings from our members that other train companies are also trying to bully staff into not wearing their official trade union badges. “This move will not detract from RMT’s campaign to save the guards jobs one jot and in fact it will fuel staff anger as they see the lengths that the train companies are prepared go to gag our members,” he said. K E E P T H E A T R I N S A F E KEEP THE GUARD ON THE TRAIN R MT is balloting staff working at Northern Rail’s Leeds Customer Relations Department for industrial action over an outrageous assault on existing terms and conditions. The company intends to reduce the CO4 grades to CO2 whilst expecting the same if not more work from these staff. Similarly, CO5 grades whilst not being downgraded are expected to take on extra duties with no extra pay. Northern Rail’s justification for this shock attack on their employees is that market rates for call centre work outside of the rail industry are 40 per cent lower – an excuse that the union has branded as nothing more than a “race to the bottom” that will increase the company profits and line the pockets of their shareholders at the expense of staff. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was an appalling attack on hard working Northern Rail staff. “It is clear that a ‘race to the bottom’ for call centre staff has been launched which the TOC’s clearly intend to roll out across the rail industry as they look to fatten their profits. “RMT intends to fight these plans which are the thin end of a very long wedge and which would batter the working conditions and living standards of our members,” he said. MERSEYRAIL BADGE BAN STRIKE VOTE OVER NORTHERN RAIL LEEDS DOWNGRADING SWINDON AND THAMES VALLEY SIGNALLERS BATTLE SACKING