Railway staff unions industrial and strike action - 2023

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) Press release 02/01/23 13:15

RMT press release 02/01/23 13:15.

RMT calls out government for "blocking" rail resolution ahead of strikes starting tomorrow

40,000 workers on Network Rail and 14 train operating companies will take action on 3,4,6 and 7 this week, shutting down most rail services across the country.

Despite the union's best efforts over the Christmas period, rail employers have not arranged any formal negotiations with RMT to resolve the dispute.

Both Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group are being directly blocked by government ministers from producing an acceptable proposal on job security, pay and working conditions.

RMT remains available around the clock for talks so all parties can come to a negotiated settlement.

The situation stands in stark contrast to other areas of the railway where the Department for Transport does not have a mandate.

RMT has secured deals with Scotrail, Transport for Wales, contracts on Eurostar and areas where the railway is under the control of metro mayors.

Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said: "The government is blocking the union's attempts to reach a negotiated settlement with the rail employers.

"We have worked with the rail industry to reach successful negotiated settlements ever since privatisation in 1993. And we have achieved deals across the network in 2021 and 2022 where the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) has no involvement.

"Yet in this dispute, there is an unprecedented level of ministerial interference, which is hamstringing rail employers from being able to negotiate a package of measures with us, so we can settle this dispute.

"We will continue our industrial action campaign while we work towards a negotiated resolution."

END

Notes:

RMT has achieved deals in the following areas where DfT has not been involved:

Eurostar International: 8% pay rise 
Eurostar - Mitie security: 10% pay rise for all staff and 29% for the lowest paid.
Scotrail: 7-9% backdated to April this year
Transport for Wales: Between 6.6% and 9.5% pay rise 
Merseyrail: 7% pay rise
MTR Crossrail: 8.2% (2021-2022)
Docklands Light Railway: 9.25%
London Underground: 8.4% (2021)

The 14 train operating companies we are in dispute with alongside Network Rail are as follows:

Chiltern Railways
Cross Country Trains
Greater Anglia,
LNER^» (London North Eastern Railway - about),
East Midlands Railway,
c2c,
Great Western
Railway,
Northern Trains,
South Eastern
South Western Railway
Transpennine Express,
Avanti West Coast,
West Midlands Trains
GTR (including Gatwick Express


John Millington
RMT Press Officer

[ChrisB]

There are meetings scheduled with the Rail Minister - for next week.

[Electric train]

There are meetings scheduled with the Rail Minister - for next week.

But the Minister will not talk about pay rise all the Minster will walk to talk about is "efficiencies" and working practices which the Union will take as worse terms & conditions and job cuts

[ChrisB]

If so, then the Minister has a point, I reckon. It's high time that the union did discuss the ways in which old working practices can be modernised. If that leads to increased staffing for 7 day working within that, then great. But it's a 7 day railway, and everyone needs to recognise that.

[grahame]

If so, then the Minister has a point, I reckon. It's high time that the union did discuss the ways in which old working practices can be modernised. If that leads to increased staffing for 7 day working within that, then great. But it's a 7 day railway, and everyone needs to recognise that.

I decide to research railway staffing to add comment - but very difficult to find in history. Not sure these figures compare apples with apples:
1955 - 648,000
1961 - 474,000
2018 - 115,000
but 2018 also lists 250,000 in the "supply chain" and I don't have a clue as to how many of those might have been included in the 1955 and 1961 figures.

What do the figures tell us?  Well - passenger number have risen from the low point on a much smaller network, but small load freight traffic which was staff intensive has been lost.  Locomotives no longer need a fireman as most did in 1955, and there are so many other changes.

[JayMac]

and there are so many other changes.

Another major one being signalling. Thousands of mechanical signal boxes in 1955. Very few left, the vast majority replaced by PSBs^▸ (Power Signal Box), IECCs^▸ (Integrated Electronic Control Centre) and ROCs^▸ (Rail Operating Centre - a centralised location for railway signalling and train control operations for a specific route or region). With the ultimate aim of Network Rail to have just a dozen or so ROCs covering the whole network.

[Electric train]

If so, then the Minister has a point, I reckon. It's high time that the union did discuss the ways in which old working practices can be modernised. If that leads to increased staffing for 7 day working within that, then great. But it's a 7 day railway, and everyone needs to recognise that.

I decide to research railway staffing to add comment - but very difficult to find in history. Not sure these figures compare apples with apples:
1955 - 648,000
1961 - 474,000
2018 - 115,000
but 2018 also lists 250,000 in the "supply chain" and I don't have a clue as to how many of those might have been included in the 1955 and 1961 figures.

What do the figures tell us?  Well - passenger number have risen from the low point on a much smaller network, but small load freight traffic which was staff intensive has been lost.  Locomotives no longer need a fireman as most did in 1955, and there are so many other changes.

All the way through you could add "supply chain" work force numbers, the railways have always relied on external supplies.  Since 2018 the Rail Industry formulised its supplier chain structure with effectively a licence / approved supplier, this is done in a tiered system, it gets difficult to have accurate numbers past tier 2.

and there are so many other changes.

Another major one being signalling. Thousands of mechanical signal boxes in 1955. Very few left, the vast majority replaced by PSBs^▸ (Power Signal Box), IECCs^▸ (Integrated Electronic Control Centre) and ROCs^▸ (Rail Operating Centre - a centralised location for railway signalling and train control operations for a specific route or region). With the ultimate aim of Network Rail to have just a dozen or so ROCs covering the whole network.

Not only the number of Signallers who operated the mechanical boxes there were a lot of S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) staff to maintain the equipment, PWay there are no longer "lengthmen" and local gangs.  Shunters, fright guards, second men, station porters, parcel office staff, traction & rolling stock maintainers, Railway Works

The Rail Industry does not modernise it's working practices, well it has done so since the very first railway and continues too

[old original]

Is it possible that the 1955 & 61 figures may include British Railways' other businesses at the time which have been long since sold off, i.e. ferries, hotels, etc?

[grahame]

Is it possible that the 1955 & 61 figures may include British Railways' other businesses at the time which have been long since sold off, i.e. ferries, hotels, etc?

Goodness only knows - though I think the figures came (indirectly - I have not looked it up) from the Beeching report, looking at how the previous closures and modernisation had gone.  Which suggests to me (no more) that the numbers are pure rail. 

[Timmer]

From RAIL magazine's Philp Haigh on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/philatrail/status/1610584623209119749

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) signallers in RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union at Thames Valley signalling centre have voted against further strikes in a dispute over a colleague's dismissal. 48 voted from 138 eligible, 25 against and 23 for strikes. Ballot failed to meet legal thresholds as did one for action short of strikes.

[JayMac]

From RAIL magazine's Philp Haigh on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/philatrail/status/1610584623209119749

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) signallers in RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union at Thames Valley signalling centre have voted against further strikes in a dispute over a colleague's dismissal. 48 voted from 138 eligible, 25 against and 23 for strikes. Ballot failed to meet legal thresholds as did one for action short of strikes.

There's solidarity, then there's paying the bills...

[GBM]

Not only the number of Signallers who operated the mechanical boxes there were a lot of S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) staff to maintain the equipment, PWay there are no longer "lengthmen" and local gangs.  Shunters, fright guards, second men, station porters, parcel office staff, traction & rolling stock maintainers, Railway Works

A grahame'ism slipping in!
Lovely explanation, thank you ET

[TaplowGreen]

From RAIL magazine's Philp Haigh on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/philatrail/status/1610584623209119749

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) signallers in RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union at Thames Valley signalling centre have voted against further strikes in a dispute over a colleague's dismissal. 48 voted from 138 eligible, 25 against and 23 for strikes. Ballot failed to meet legal thresholds as did one for action short of strikes.

There's solidarity, then there's paying the bills...

As I understand it, signallers aren't particularly keen on the overall strike action but they are linked in the RMT with maintenance workers who massively outnumber them when it comes to a vote so are stuck with it.

[PhilWakely]

One of the 'modernisation' pre-conditions that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) objects to is the wholesale closure of ticket offices. A petition had been set up on the Government petitions website.... 'Require train operators maintain ticket offices at railway stations'.

This is the Government response....

Ticket office usage has reduced substantially in the last decade. The Plan for Rail White Paper outlines the modernisation needed to improve the passenger experience and to ensure the railways are financially sustainable. Together with industry we want to move staff out from ticket offices and into the wider station where they can provide more face-to-face help and assistance to passengers.

The Government recognises the multiple functions that the ticket offices around the country provide, including enabling passengers to purchase tickets, providing help and advice, and carrying out seat and cycle reservations. Where a train company does suggest a ticket office closure, we expect train operators to consider how these functions will continue to be provided as part of the proposal they put forward under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA^▸ (Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.)) process. Section 6-18 of the TSA sets out the process that train companies must follow to make such proposals and is publicly available on the Rail Delivery Group’s website (https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/our-services/rdg-accreditation/ticketing-settlement.html).

Alternative retail options are now available in most cases, including ticket vending machines, pay as you go ticketing and online retailing and digital tickets. We recognise that not everyone has access to these retail facilities or is able to use them, and we expect train operators to take this into account when making a proposal.

With staff in more mobile roles they can provide additional support to those who cannot or do not want to use alternative retailing options. They will be able to advise on journeys and timetables as well as help customers to buy tickets or access other services. The passenger assistance scheme will continue to be in place to help passengers with additional needs use the rail network with confidence and in safety.
To propose any changes to the opening hours or the closure of ticket offices, train operators must follow the process set out in section 6-18 of the TSA. This will involve a public engagement, with train operators required to put notices at stations advising passengers of proposals and what any changes could mean for them. Train operators are also required to contact other operators and the passenger bodies directly under 6-18 of the TSA. If passengers have objections, these can be raised via the passenger bodies (Transport Focus and London TravelWatch) for consideration within 21 days of the notice being posted. The passenger bodies will then determine based on all the evidence if they approve or object to the proposed change. Should the Passenger Bodies object to the proposal it could be referred to the Secretary of State for Transport for a decision. A decision will be made based on the requirements in 6-18 (1) of the TSA and the relevant guidance.

As part of this process, train operators are specifically required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of passengers who are disabled and include this in their notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in their public engagement.

Department for Transport

[Electric train]

From RAIL magazine's Philp Haigh on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/philatrail/status/1610584623209119749

NR^» (Network Rail - home page) signallers in RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union at Thames Valley signalling centre have voted against further strikes in a dispute over a colleague's dismissal. 48 voted from 138 eligible, 25 against and 23 for strikes. Ballot failed to meet legal thresholds as did one for action short of strikes.

There's solidarity, then there's paying the bills...

As I understand it, signallers aren't particularly keen on the overall strike action but they are linked in the RMT with maintenance workers who massively outnumber them when it comes to a vote so are stuck with it.

I do not know the details of why the Signallers at Didcot voted for industrial action regarding the dismissal of a colleague, this was / is a local dispute ie between the Signallers and their local Network Rail management, it is unrelated to the National dispute the RMT has with Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd..