Railway staff unions industrial and strike action - 2023

[whole diary]

[GBM]

James Davis from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) was on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Radio Berkshire this morning, he said that this time the strike action would affect local branch lines in the Thames Valley including Gunnislake to West Ealing

Penzance running a St Ives and back service.
Plymouth is running a Gunnislake and back today it seems.

[ChrisB]

From The Grauniad

Network Rail makes revised offer to RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) in effort to end dispute
Union says it will consider details of offer after series of strikes over pay, jobs and working conditions

Network Rail has made a “newly revised” offer to Britain’s biggest rail workers’ union in an attempt to break the deadlock over a long-running dispute about pay, jobs and conditions.

Network Rail, which is responsible for track, signalling and other rail infrastructure in England, Scotland and Wales, said it had added some fresh proposals in the revised offer to the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT).

The union, which represents signallers, maintenance staff and other Network Rail workers, said its executive would consider the details of the offer.

An RMT spokesperson added: “We will now consult members through branch and regional meetings. An update on our next steps will be forthcoming in due course.”

Tim Shoveller, the chief negotiator for Network Rail, said in a message to staff that the company was continuing with its plans for modernising maintenance, adding: “We must press on with this regardless of the pay dispute. We believe it will help to create a safer, better railway and jobs. Local consultation is under way and is providing the local level detail people want.

“We want to introduce a standard 35-hour working week for everyone. We’re now committing to work with the unions to review contracts above a 35-hour week so we can agree a way forward.”

“We’ll introduce a better long-service award framework for general grades, which will be backdated to 2022. We’ll improve carers’ leave. If you are a registered carer, you will be able to transfer five days paid volunteering leave to five days paid carers’ leave.”

Network Rail said updated elements of the offer included an increase in London allowances for those who are on or move on to different contracts.

It said it was offering a minimum uplift of a consolidated £1,750, or a 5% increase (whichever is greater) up to a maximum of £3,500, to the annual base rates of pay backdated to 1 January 2022, and a 4% increase to the annual base rates of pay effective from January 2023.

Over the two years, this adds up to an increase of between 9.2% to 14.4%, more for those on the lowest salaries, said Network Rail.

There was also a commitment to no compulsory redundancies until January 2025, a 75% leisure travel discount for employees and their families, a 75% price reduction on employees’ season tickets and an opportunity to sell 10 days of leave if any is carried over from 2022.

Apprentices will see a “big increase” to their pay, backdated to April 2022, Network Rail added.

The RMT has held a series of strikes over the past few months in its dispute with Network Rail, a row that is separate to the one with train operators.

The union’s dispute with Network Rail is separate to the train drivers’ row with rail operators, which led to a strike on Wednesday.

[Timmer]

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) rejects “dreadful” new offers from Network and train companies. So that’s a ‘no’ then 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64600975

[grahame]

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) rejects “dreadful” new offers from Network and train companies. So that’s a ‘no’ then 

The RMT rail union has rejected pay offers from Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG^‡(resolve)) in a blow to any hopes that the long-running dispute was close to reaching its end.

Network Rail and the RDG said the deals are their "best and final" offers.

But RMT boss, Mick Lynch, described them as "dreadful".

The rejection was made by the union's national executive committee but the industry and government want the offers to be put to a members' vote.

And how can that gap be bridges??

[TaplowGreen]

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) rejects “dreadful” new offers from Network and train companies. So that’s a ‘no’ then 

The RMT rail union has rejected pay offers from Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG^‡(resolve)) in a blow to any hopes that the long-running dispute was close to reaching its end.

Network Rail and the RDG said the deals are their "best and final" offers.

But RMT boss, Mick Lynch, described them as "dreadful".

The rejection was made by the union's national executive committee but the industry and government want the offers to be put to a members' vote.

And how can that gap be bridges??

Letting the RMT membership have a say might be a start.

[Henry]

 Staff earning less than £30,000 it was not a dreadful offer, approx 11%  with back-pay for 2022.
  A lot of RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) members did not get to vote as it was not a postal ballot, but an open vote by social media I believe.
 
 

[PhilWakely]

Staff earning less than £30,000 it was not a dreadful offer, approx 11%  with back-pay for 2022.
  A lot of RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) members did not get to vote as it was not a postal ballot, but an open vote by social media I believe.
 

For the vast majority of members, it was not the pay offer that was the problem, but the 'reforms' that went with it.

The RMT union’s National Executive Committee has carefully considered the responses it has received since inviting branches, regional councils and representatives to submit their views on the offer tabled last week by Network Rail. Your NEC^» (National Exhibition Centre - about) has now taken the following decision:

“This NEC notes that that following widespread consultation and debate across the membership:

responses were received from over 60 Branches
300 of our workplace representatives responded
an online meeting was held with over 100 train operating representatives

The overwhelming conclusion from this mass consultation is that the proposals from the RDG^‡(resolve) are entirely unacceptable and should be rejected.

The proposals include the closure of all Ticket Offices, job cuts and detrimental attacks to our members current terms and conditions, along with the creation of a two-tier workforce.

This NEC will not accept this poor pay offer and the carving up of hard-fought terms and conditions of our rail worker members.

Therefore, the General Secretary is instructed to seek further meetings with the Rail Delivery Group setting out a clear position that this National Executive Committee rejects the proposals in their entirety and to make clear this offer and its format is unacceptable to our members.

[TaplowGreen]

Lynch now seeking an "unconditional" pay offer.

 BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) News - RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) union rejects latest offers in rail dispute
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64600975

[ChrisB]

The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) said it was seeking "an unconditional pay offer, a job security agreement and no detrimental changes being imposed on members terms, conditions and working practices".

Not a hope....the best will be nothing % & no changes.

[PhilWakely]

The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) said it was seeking "an unconditional pay offer, a job security agreement and no detrimental changes being imposed on members terms, conditions and working practices".

Not a hope....the best will be nothing % & no changes.

To be brutally honest, many would accept just that if it was that or the current offer.

[Electric train]

My personal feeling is the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) looked at what the Fire Fighters have been awarded and taken a view if its good enough for one public sector then its good enough for another.

Will the RMT hold onto all of its members, at some locations there is some unease within the RMT members

[TaplowGreen]

The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) said it was seeking "an unconditional pay offer, a job security agreement and no detrimental changes being imposed on members terms, conditions and working practices".

Not a hope....the best will be nothing % & no changes.

The RMT's position is now that they want an unconditional pay rise in a time of falling revenue and rising costs with no measures attached to reduce costs in order to mitigate it.

In a nutshell, this illustrates the fantasy world they inhabit.

[a-driver]

The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) said it was seeking "an unconditional pay offer, a job security agreement and no detrimental changes being imposed on members terms, conditions and working practices".

Not a hope....the best will be nothing % & no changes.

The RMT's position is now that they want an unconditional pay rise in a time of falling revenue and rising costs with no measures attached to reduce costs in order to mitigate it.

In a nutshell, this illustrates the fantasy world they inhabit.

An unconditional payrise……. just like the MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) have been awarded then!  Surely what’s good enough for an MP should be good enough for us all?

[ChrisB]

You’re welcome to 2.9% with no strings attached in my book!

[a-driver]

You’re welcome to 2.9% with no strings attached in my book!

Apply for a job at the RDG^‡(resolve)!  I’ll provide you a reference. 2.9% and (£2,400 for the lowest paid). I’d take it.

You’ll do a much better job then the current incompetent lot.