KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE!

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2023 :: RMTnews 7 This country’s anti-trade union laws requires that your union ballots members in train operating companies to continue the mandate to take industrial action in defence of jobs, pay and conditions. Members working in all grades for the train operating companies will have received a ballot paper earlier this month so if you haven’t voted yet filled it in it is imperative that you return it before May 4. To re-cap the offer from the Rail Delivery Group on behalf of the TOCs which led to the strikes being suspended last month offered a pay increase for 2022 that is dependent on the Dispute Resolution Process document being adopted by your union. The national executive committee decided to distribute that document to the membership and a presentation on its contents has been broadcast and is still available to watch on the union’s YouTube channel. The video deals with the main questions raised by members and has received many thousands of views already. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that a conversation needed to take place within the union around the two- stage offer. “It has been frustrating to be in negotiations when the major player in this dispute - the Tory government - was absent, while the employer's side sought its authorisation on every offer it presented. “But your negotiators and your NEC are not going to rush into a decision on these proposals or on the course of the negotiations. “We are heading toward the 12-month mark in this dispute and, while we wish to see a satisfactory an outcome as soon as possible, we will not be hurried into a dispute resolution process without members having proper consideration of the detail and a good understanding of implications of entering into the proposed two-stage process. “For these reasons, the re- ballot of all members at the train companies represented in this national dispute is going ahead and voting papers have been dispatched. “In the meantime, it is important to remember that at the beginning of the dispute nothing was on offer and nothing was on the table for members working for TOCs. “It has been through your actions and determination which has brought the employers round the table and that pressure must be kept up,” he said.   KEEPING UP THE PRESSURE! It is absolutely crucial that you all return a resounding YES vote for further industrial action K E E P U P T H E P R E S S U R E I N T H E R E - B A L L O T VOTEYES