RECOGNITION AT CARLISLE SUPPORT SERVICES

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2024 :: RMTnews 13 The union has won a revised trade union recognition agreement with City Cruises for all staff in Customer Service and Cabin Crew grades working for City Cruises on the River Thames. RMT's previous recognition agreement covered only Captains and Mates. RMT national secretary Darren Procter said that as a result of the recognition the union could service more members more effectively. “Those covered by a collective bargaining agreement at City Cruises has risen from 20 to nearly 70 which is a positive step for workers and the union,” he said. RMT has negotiated an overarching union recognition agreement for collective bargaining purposes for all non-management staff employed by Carlisle Support Services Group across all rail contracts. The union has also won Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) with traincare company AGS One contracts on Elizabeth Line, London Underground track cleaning, Southeastern and TFL/ABM. Carlisle currently holds over 20 contracts with a number of train operating companies (TOCs) including Arriva Rail London, Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Merseyrail, MTR Elizabeth Line, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Transpennine Express and West Midlands Trains. Each contract is a separate employer because, while they are all managed by Carlisle, the function of each contract belongs to the train operating company which supplies the funding stream when it comes to pay negotiations. Each contract is put out to periodic tender and under TUPE, which stands for 'Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), the contract will often change ownership and management. Under the agreement when any Carlisle-held contracts end or are carried over to other companies, RMT’s recognition status as the recognised union will be protected whenever a contract is bought over by Churchill, Mitie, ISS or anyone else. Moreover, when Carlisle enters into further rail contracts where RMT is not already recognised, the new recognition agreement will also cover them. The agreement provides for arrangements at both national and contract level for collective bargaining on pay, training, hours, holidays and other matters and when there is a failure to agree it will be dealt with at a national level. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that the union had always sought improved industrial relations with Carlisle in order to advance the interests of members. “This agreement should be a significant step towards improving this union’s ability to represent our members and normalising industrial relations,” he said. The union has also recently secured CBAs at Medway Rail, Loram UK, Svitzer Terminals at Fawley Refinery and on TfL Facilities contract owned by ABM as well as extending collective bargaining rights for portside staff at City Cruises. RECOGNITION AT CARLISLE SUPPORT SERVICES Union agreement covers Carlisle contracts and those carried over to other companies CITY CRUISES RECOGNITION EXTENDED