NORTHERN RAIL WORKERS TAKE ACTION

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may/june 2024 :: RMTnews 7 and sacrifices of merchant seafarers, who play a crucial part in long deployments away from home on operations worldwide. "We have made efforts to reach a negotiated settlement with management, but now we have no choice but take strike action,” he said. Since 2010, the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office have failed to support pay justice for RFA's hard working civilian seafarers, with the real value of pay falling behind RPI inflation by 36 per cent. The decline in the value of pay, pension scheme and the unequal leave ratio for a four- month tour is spurring a recruitment and retention crisis which adds to RFA members' workload. Last year, RFA commissioned Faststream recruitment to benchmark RFA pay against Ratings and Officers pay in the cruise, ferries, deep sea and workboat sectors. The final report published in March found that: “The RFA's current offering pays lower than the market average for the net day rate in every rank benchmarked”. RMT's demand for pay justice for RFA members has received strong support from across the political spectrum, including the former First Sea Lord Admiral West who has been tabling questions to the government in support of RFA seafarers. MPs have tabled an updated Early Day Motion 773 to support demands for an improved pay offer and for wider reforms to improve contractual conditions of employment, as well as tackling the recruitment and retention crisis which is contributing to your increased workloads and declining morale. Please ask your local MP to sign EDM 773. The union is in correspondence with the Ministry of Defence in order to break through the inertia that has bogged down talks with the RFA, which currently does not have a Commodore. S uperexploited workers at Northern Rail employed by Carlisle Support Services have taken strike action over poor pay and dreadful working conditions. RMT members who work at Northern Rail gate lines but are paid less than directly employed staff and cannot enter the company pension scheme or receive sick pay from their employer. The contractor also does not recognise RMT for the purposes of collective bargaining. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that the union cannot allow this injustice to continue which is why members are taking more strike action. "Our members are the first to interact with the travelling public and if there is any abuse anti-social behaviour or assaults, they are on the receiving end. "Yet they are treated as second class workers, doing shifts alongside directly employed Northern Rail station staff. "All these workers want is to be treated equally and get the same pay and conditions as their colleagues in Northern Rail. "RMT will continue our industrial campaign for as long as it takes to get justice for our members,” he said. Stena Convenor Michael Hobson (left) with Stena Line Belfast port representative Alex Thompson (second left) with members in the Stena Line workshop in Belfast Victoria Terminal 1. NEW REPS FOR STENA AT BELFAST NORTHERN RAIL WORKERS TAKE ACTION OUTSOURCED: Carlisle Support Services workers take action