RMT demands train operators retain staff in re-franchising
RMT: 27 October 2005
BRITAIN’S BIGGEST rail union is seeking contractual changes guaranteeing the jobs, pay, pensions and conditions of nearly 8,500 members as twelve of Britain’s train-operating companies are put through a massive programme of re-privatisation. RMT is also demanding that the TOCs continue to employ staff as the best way of achieving these aims.
RMT is already in dispute with South Eastern Trains over the company’s refusal to agree to contractual changes that would provide such safeguards and to retain staff in its employment.
The union has now written to eleven further operators – Great Western, Great Western Link, Wessex Trains, Thameslink, WAGN, South West Trains, Island Line, Central Trains, Midland Mainline, Silverlink and Virgin Cross Country, which the government intends to re-privatise between April 2006 and 2007 – seeking similar changes, and demanding that members continue to be employed by these companies.
“We are seeking changes to our members’ contracts to guarantee that there will be no compulsory redundancies, that there will be no worsening of pensions rights, that existing promotion and transfer entitlements will continue, and that there will be no changes in terms and conditions or changes in staffing levels without agreement,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.
“We are also demanding that members remain employed by the existing companies as the best way of securing those guarantees.
“We are already in dispute with South Eastern Trains, and although we have not yet begun a strike ballot to allow for talks to take place, we have made it clear that we expect the company to insert clauses in our members’ contracts that safeguard their jobs, pensions, pay and conditions.
“We are also seeking an undertaking from South Eastern Trains that it will not permit its current workforce to be transferred to another employer, as we believe that remaining employed by SET is the best assurance that these guarantees will apply for the future.
“We have now also told each of the eleven other companies that if by December 6 they have not agreed to insert similar clauses in our members’ contracts and undertaken not to permit their current workforce to be transferred to another employer, then we will be in dispute.
“We have already won commitments for our members in both London Underground and Scottish ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne, and there is no reason why our members in these rail franchises should not have similar guarantees
“We would prefer that these rail franchises were brought back in-house, but the government has so far not seen fit to do so, and as a trade union our first duty is to do all we can to protect our members’ jobs, pay, pension rights and conditions.
“If that means balloting our members for strike action to win the guarantees we are seeking and secure our demands, then so be it,” Bob Crow said.