RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2021 :: RMTnews 16 Despite Network Rail staff being hailed as heroes during Covid-19 by the company and government, it is now cynically exploiting the crisis and intends to introduce the biggest attack on jobs, conditions, safety and pay in generations. Reforms which will affect all grades. Just some of the company’s proposals are listed below. More details on the company’s proposals are contained within an RMT Network Rail special members’ bulletin which has been sent to all RMT Network Rail members. • An open-ended pay freeze for all Network Rail staff with massive effects on earning power and standard of living. The company intends to make the whole workforce poorer. • Managed stations staff moving to a ‘One Team; concept, with unknown effects on station staff numbers, duties, terms & conditions in both Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies. • Less staff carrying out far more work, with less control over work-life balance. • Diluting safety standards and importing more risk. Network Rail intends to take more chances with railway safety in order to save cash through cutting maintenance cycles and jobs. • Various reforms affecting maintenance, including an extension of risk-based maintenance, a 50% reduction in Maintenance Scheduled Tasks and joint working across maintenance disciplines, ending the current departmental distinctions such as S&T, OLE, P-WAY, P&D etc. • Pooling of all Operative grades. • More unsocial hours, more night and weekend working. • All of this would be undertaken without the commitment of No Compulsory Redundancies across all of Network Rail NETWORK RAIL’S NASTY NUMBERS Despite launching this huge attack on all Network Rail members’ pay, conditions and safety, it is business as usual for Network Rail and the massive private sector profiteering that the company and the government fund. For instance, in the year to July 2020, the company made an operating profit of £2.3bn, up 62% on the previous year. Before the pandemic, profits were growing, and they can be expected to grow back as the rail industry recovers. In fact, in March 2021 the company said there would be a ‘quick bounce back’ from Covid-19. RMT estimates that the private Rolling Stock Companies and Train Despite Network Rail staff being hailed as heroes during Covid-19 by the company and government, it is now cynically exploiting the crisis and intends to introduce the biggest attack on jobs, conditions, safety and pay in Network Rail intends to take more chances with railway safety in order to save cash through cutting maintenance cycles and jobs. • Various reforms affecting maintenance, including an For instance, in the year to July 2020, the company made an operating profit of £2.3bn, up 62% on the previous year. Before the pandemic, profits were growing, and they can be expected to grow back as the rail industry recovers. In fact, in March 2021 the company said there would be a ‘quick bounce back’ from Covid-19. RMT estimates that the private Rolling Stock Companies and Train NO CUTS AT NETWORK RAIL CUT THEIR GREED, NOT YOUR JOB