Railway union workers industrial and strike action - 2022

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Seems it's the one still on the table - RailAdvent with more

The Rail Delivery Group has said that train companies have offered the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union a framework agreement that would support pay increases up to 8%.

The plans will also see ‘vital and long overdue’ changes to working agreements to secure the future of the railways.

Included in the plans is a guarantee on no compulsory redundancies until the 1st April 2024.

These proposals give the union an opportunity to call of planned action which is currently set to start on the 13th December.

The reformed principles include

 - Current voluntary working agreements on the railways will be formalised
 - Use of part-time contracts and flexible working rosters to encourage a more diverse workforce
 - A new Multi-Skilled Station Worker Role will be created with station staff trained and equipped to take on a range of
   responsibilties.

A spokesperson from the Rail Delivery Group, said: “This is a fair and affordable offer in challenging times, providing a significant uplift in salary for staff. If approved by the RMT, implementation could be fast-tracked to ensure staff go into Christmas secure in the knowledge that they will receive this enhanced pay award early in the New Year alongside a guarantee of job security until April 2024.

“With revenue stuck at 20% below pre-pandemic levels and many working practices unchanged in decades, taxpayers who have contributed £1,800 per household to keep the railway running in recent years, will balk at continuing to pump billions of pounds a year into an industry that desperately needs to move forward with long-overdue reforms and that alienates potential customers with sustained industrial action.

“We urge the RMT leadership to put this offer to its membership and remove the threat of a month of industrial action over Christmas that will upset the travel plans of millions and cause real hardship for businesses which depend on Christmas custom. Instead, we urge the RMT to move forward together with us and so we can give our people a pay rise and deliver an improved railway with a sustainable, long-term future for those who work on it.”

Needs to be called off by Tuesday in order that normal working can be reinstated for the December strike days.

[TaplowGreen]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)......

BBC News - Train strikes: Firms make first offer in bid to stop Christmas strikes
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63853669

[old original]

Isn't that an 'old' offer - been on the table for weeks. They're looking for this amount over one yaer, with additional for any 'modernisation' I thought

for Network rail staff,yes, but this is the first offer made by the RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) on behalf of the rail operators, only taken half-a-year or more.

[bradshaw]

Just been turned down

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-reject-rail-delivery-group-offer/

[Electric train]

Isn't that an 'old' offer - been on the table for weeks. They're looking for this amount over one yaer, with additional for any 'modernisation' I thought

for Network rail staff,yes, but this is the first offer made by the RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) on behalf of the rail operators, only taken half-a-year or more.

The NR^» (Network Rail - home page) offer may stand a chance,

[TaplowGreen]

Just been turned down

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-reject-rail-delivery-group-offer/

Closure of "all" ticket offices? Is that actually what the RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) offer says? And "huge" job losses?

[ChrisB]

No compulsory losses....redesigned multi-skilled station staff including ticket sellers in ticket machine areas.

Anyone care to explain what these are please?

12. Review of Stood Off arrangements;

[grahame]

No compulsory losses....redesigned multi-skilled station staff including ticket sellers in ticket machine areas.

Anyone care to explain what these are please?

12. Review of Stood Off arrangements;

From The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) - this is from the introduction of a 24 page document.

The arrangements usually known as “Stood-Off” are a set of longstanding agreements established under British Rail that are still in place with Network Rail for staff who are certified as unable to continue in their own role, but are able for alternate duties - Suitable Alternative Work.

Members mirror at http://www.passenger.chat/mirror/stoodoffcospamphletweb.pdf

[TaplowGreen]

No compulsory losses....redesigned multi-skilled station staff including ticket sellers in ticket machine areas.

Anyone care to explain what these are please?

12. Review of Stood Off arrangements;

So the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are completely misrepresenting the RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) position with phrases like "closure of all ticket offices" and "huge job losses"

[ChrisB]

There are staff who just can't do a shift on their feet. We've got a couple in our local ticket office. What position might be found for them is worrying them a lot, and are probably what the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are referring to.

[Electric train]

No compulsory losses....redesigned multi-skilled station staff including ticket sellers in ticket machine areas.

Anyone care to explain what these are please?

12. Review of Stood Off arrangements;

So the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are completely misrepresenting the RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) position with phrases like "closure of all ticket offices" and "huge job losses"

I do not think the RMT are miss representing the RDG aka DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) position ................. the shift is to the TfL^» (Transport for London - about) model self-service ticket machines with a member of staff on hand, at National rail stations this could mean even more and larger stations unattended by staff

[JayMac]

Reading the missives from both sides it does appear to me that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) are indeed misrepresenting the Rail Delivery Group's offer and its conditions.

And once again we see the RMT turn down an offer without putting it to a membership vote.

[bradshaw]

RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) offer, 4% this year plus 4% next year plus

   The proposed principles for reforming working practices include:

To meet the growing demand for weekend leisure travel, particularly on Sundays, current voluntary working arrangements across the railways will be formalised
Use of part-time contracts and flexible working rosters and patterns to encourage a more diverse workforce who can fit shifts around other commitments
The creation of a new multi-skilled station worker role, with station staff trained and equipped to take on a range of responsibilities aimed at better meeting the needs of customers

https://media.raildeliverygroup.com/news/employers-offer-rmt-a-framework-agreement-to-end-national-dispute-and-save-christmas

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)

.  The RDG is offering 4% in 2022 and 2023 which is conditional on RMT members accepting vast changes to working practices, huge job losses, Driver Only Operated (DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard))) trains on all companies and the closure of all ticket offices.

Key points within the RDG's determinantal proposals:

1. That all Workforce Changes are accepted without reservation or industrial action;
2. Closure of all ticket offices and displacement of all retail staff;
3. Creation of a new multi-skilled station grades;
4. A mass job severance programme;
5. Driver-Only Operation of trains in all companies and on all passenger services;
6. New arrangements for mandatory Sunday working;
7. A review of all On-Train Catering services leading to cutbacks in provision and jobs;
8. Review of Fleet grades’ working practices and depot driving;
9. Flexible working contracts, working and rosters;
10. Mandatory adoption of new technology with no payment;
11. New Attendance Management scheme;
12. Review of Stood Off arrangements;
13. New annual leave and sick pay arrangements

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-reject-rail-delivery-group-offer/

[Electric train]

RDG^▸ (Rail Delivery Group, or Reading station, depending on context) offer, 4% this year plus 4% next year plus

   The proposed principles for reforming working practices include:

To meet the growing demand for weekend leisure travel, particularly on Sundays, current voluntary working arrangements across the railways will be formalised
Use of part-time contracts and flexible working rosters and patterns to encourage a more diverse workforce who can fit shifts around other commitments
The creation of a new multi-skilled station worker role, with station staff trained and equipped to take on a range of responsibilities aimed at better meeting the needs of customers

https://media.raildeliverygroup.com/news/employers-offer-rmt-a-framework-agreement-to-end-national-dispute-and-save-christmas

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers)

.  The RDG is offering 4% in 2022 and 2023 which is conditional on RMT members accepting vast changes to working practices, huge job losses, Driver Only Operated (DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard))) trains on all companies and the closure of all ticket offices.

Key points within the RDG's determinantal proposals:

1. That all Workforce Changes are accepted without reservation or industrial action;
2. Closure of all ticket offices and displacement of all retail staff;
3. Creation of a new multi-skilled station grades;
4. A mass job severance programme;
5. Driver-Only Operation of trains in all companies and on all passenger services;
6. New arrangements for mandatory Sunday working;
7. A review of all On-Train Catering services leading to cutbacks in provision and jobs;
8. Review of Fleet grades’ working practices and depot driving;
9. Flexible working contracts, working and rosters;
10. Mandatory adoption of new technology with no payment;
11. New Attendance Management scheme;
12. Review of Stood Off arrangements;
13. New annual leave and sick pay arrangements

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-reject-rail-delivery-group-offer/

From the RDG letter -
"Use of part-time contracts and flexible working rosters and patterns to encourage a more diverse workforce who can fit shifts around other commitments" I suspect the Unions will see this as a move to the introduction of zero hours contracts

[bradshaw]

My impression was that this offer expected to be rejected and was aimed at showing the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) in a bad light. Hence the 8% headline with no mention that it was over two years and no mention of the changes to T & C.