RAIL DISPUTE INTERIM AGREEMENT

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2023 :: RMTnews 4 R MT members at all train operating companies which the union has been in dispute with over the last 18 months have accepted an unconditional pay agreement with the Rail Delivery Group in a referendum vote in each TOC. The deal provides for the following: • an unconditional pay offer, backdated to anniversary in 2022 • a job security commitment • A discussion, negotiation and consultation process which extends to the end of April 2024 As a result, the deal provides a standalone pay offer without conditions. This consists of a five per cent pay increase, or an increment of £1,750, whichever is the greater which is known as an underpin. This means that anyone with a base salary below £35,000 per year will receive an increase of greater than five per cent. For example, for a member on £30,000 salary this is equivalent to 5.8 per cent, on £25,000 it is seven per cent and for those on £20,000 it is equivalent to 8.75 per cent. Your union has already defeated important elements of their agenda such as Driver Only Operation, Ticket Office closures, attacks on the Railway Pension Scheme and the extension of working hours – all of which have been removed. The deal agrees to the withdrawal of ticket office closures as well as the associated re-organisation documents and S188 redundancy letters saving over 2,300 jobs. There is also a commitment that there will be no compulsory redundancies up to the end of 2024 and lifts the current recruitment freeze on vacancies. The third element of the deal relates to the government and companies’ ‘Workforce Reform’ proposals. The union does not have to accept any of these proposals which they have been trying to force on the industry. Clearly the current government still wants to introduce changes to conditions and working practices that are troubling but RMT has not agreed to any of these measures. The process envisaged is for the companies to provide proposals for each department and grade group and for discussions on these matters to be deferred to February 2024, and then for a three-month discussion period in the company councils going through to the end of April 2024. The full extent of your collective bargaining agreements will be honoured, including the Avoidance of Disputes processes and your union is free to conduct ballots for action as it sees fit. On behalf of the union’s national executive committee RMT general secretary Mick Lynch emphasised that RMT has not agreed to any of these measures – this would be a process through which any proposals can be discussed. “The deal gives members considerable back pay, but also the assurance that their conditions and working practices have not been diluted in any way to get that pay offer. “RMT remains fundamentally opposed to detrimental changes to terms and conditions and the union will seek to protect them throughout this process and in the discussions in your company and for your grade. “On behalf of the union I want to thank all members for your commitment to the campaign RMT has been conducting. “It is your efforts in this dispute and in delivering the mandates that have brought this offer at this time. “Pay negotiations for the year 2023-2024 commence in February and the companies want to link ‘Workforce Reform’ to pay for that year so the battle to defend our members is not over,” he said. RAIL DISPUTE INTERIM AGREEMENT Members back unconditional pay proposals without 'workforce reform' plans Kings Cross picket line