The following resolutions were passed at this year's conference and the General Grades Committee decisions are given below each one:

Pay & Conditions of Service

"That this conference re-enforces the union policy of a one year, no strings pay deal as agreed at previous conferences and also to seek the following as a minimum:

(a) Sunday work to be paid at 200%.

(b) All other time over the working week to be paid at 150%.

Any deviation to the one year policy will be balloted on by referendum of the membership, also as on previous occasions."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Pay & Conditions of Service 2005 - London Underground

"This Conference wishes to congratulate our members on London Underground in securing the superb pay and conditions deal reached this year. It shows what a lot of determination can bring and now sets out the benchmark which mainline Signalling grades have to strive for.

GGC Decision

"That we note the sentiments of the resolution."

Pay & Conditions of Service

"That this conference calls upon our National Negotiating Body to pursue a claim for a substantial increase in rates of pay for all members covered by this conference. This claim is to be submitted at the earliest opportunity to enable it to be in place by the next anniversary date."

GGC Decision

"That we link this file with file BR5/0001."

Christmas Day & Boxing Day Enhancements on Sundays

"That this conference calls upon our National Negotiating Body to pursue a claim where we receive both the Bank Holiday and the rest day enhancements when Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a Sunday, thus making the enhancement 450% or 350% plus a lieu day. We believe that this is fair as we do at present still have an agreement with the company regarding Christmas Day or Boxing Day falling on a Sunday, which states that the company may give fourteen days notice to staff rostered on these days and who are not required will be booked off and will not receive any payment.

At present the payment for these two Bank Holidays is 300% or 200% and a lieu day for Signallers and Controllers with an agreement that if you work on these days and it is a rest day you will receive both the Bank Holiday and the rest day enhancements of 325% or 225% and a lieu day.

Sundays are paid at 150% but if Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on the Sunday you do not receive the Sunday enhancement, only the Bank Holiday enhancement."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Bullying and Harassment

"That this conference calls upon our Council of Executives to engage in talks with Network Rail relating to the matter of possible bullying & harassment of Signallers that is constituted by the setting of impossible or arbitrary performance targets."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

35 Hour Working Week

"That this conference taking full cognizance of the honesty and trustworthiness of Network Rail give the GGC an automatic mandate of calling an industrial action ballot of Signalling grade members if a 35 hour working week is not implemented by 31st march 2006 as per JWP agreement. This is an agreed part of the JWP and we cannot and will not allow any attempt by management to renege on this agreement."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Pensions

"This conference of Signalling grades is appalled at Network Rails attitude to our future in regards to our pensions. We demand that our future pension should be a guaranteed final salary, which should be open to all Network Rail employees covered by this conference and also that brass matching of contributions should be restored to the levels previously honoured by Railtrack and linked to increases in salary, as it was in the past.

We request our Council of Executives to instigate a campaign to fully inform our members of how we are losing out to a company that could withdraw from our arrangements at any time and who use this during pay negotiations. Furthermore for our Council of Executives to conduct a referendum of our members over our issues, but most importantly to make sure that Network Rail are fully aware that any move on their behalf which would be detrimental to our benefits would be met with an instant ballot for industrial action on our behalf."

GGC Decision

"That we note this is already union policy."

Safety Briefing Days

"That this conference calls upon the General Secretary to negotiate with Network Rail that in future all Safety Briefing days are provided for on the rostered days. A requirement of the JWP was that a rostered Safety Briefing day should be provided for every 12 weeks for all Signalling staff. To accommodate this rostered were altered and in some areas the weekly hours were reduced. It then transpired that because the Safety Briefs are provided for on a 13 week cycle they do not coincide with the Signallers rostered days."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Signing Off Agreements

"That this conference requests that when signing off an agreement, such as amendments or enhancements to the Signalling Grades Restructuring Agreement, but also at any level, the agreement is worded such that there is no ambiguity whatsoever when it comes to implementing that agreement."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Rule Book

"That this conference requests our negotiators, if possible, to enter into talks with Network Rail in an attempt to return the Rule Book back to sections. The current book is easy to read but the use of key words leads to more misunderstandings than we ever encountered before."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Equipment Checks

"That this conference calls upon the General Secretary to negotiate with Network Rail that all checks on equipment that have to be done at a certain time are done at the same time. Currently we check the TPWS, Clock, and Emergency Bells at different times. It would be easier if all checks were to be done at the same time."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Possession Lengths

"That this conference calls upon the General Secretary to put pressure on Network Rail to abide by the terms of the Rule Book section 1.3 of module T3 which states: you must keep the length of the possession as short as possible. Recently T3 possessions have been taken which are excessively & unnecessarily long and are in our opinion are unsafe."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Form Filling

"That this conference calls upon the General Secretary to negotiate with Network Rail to drastically reduce the number of forms in circulation. The number of forms required to be completed by Signalling staff has gone too far and we consider that in most cases an entry in the TRB and sometimes a telephone call to control is sufficient."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Hay Evaluations

"That this conference requests that a national meeting take place with Network Rail to outline the concerns of our members following Network Rails systematically cancelling evaluation panels. Network Rail should be advised that this situation continue that a dispute will exist with a ballot for industrial action being the outcome."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Job Evaluation - Axle Counter Detection Technology

"That this conference requests a working party be set up to look into the impact of Non-collaborative Axle Counter Detection Technology due to the increased knowledge and skills required to operate this equipment. It is felt by numerous members working with this equipment that the hay evaluation system does not adequately reflect this type of technology."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Drugs & Alcohol Policy

"That this conference calls upon our Negotiating Officers to arrange an urgent meeting with Network Rail in order to categorically confirm the parameters of the above policy and its application to members covered by this conference as this conference is concerned at the variation of standards being applied."

GGC Decision

"That we note this is already union policy."

Meal Breaks

"That this National Conference of Signalling Grades is appalled that in this day and age our members are still not receiving their mandatory meal breaks, or even any compensation for the loss of them.

That this conference calls upon our Council of Executives to pursue this matter as a matter of urgency in line with conference policy."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Medical Examinations

"This conference welcomes the early termination by Network Rail of the contract with AXA/PPP to provide healthcare & notes the appointment of BUPA as the replacement provider. We are however aware of several cases where members have suffered financial loss due to being stood off unnecessarily by AXA/PPP even though they have subsequently been allowed to return to normal duties and Network Rail have refused to re-in burse them for their loss of income.

We therefore call upon the General Secretary to negotiate with Network Rail terms which ensure that in future all such cases are paid average earnings instead of the current basic pay."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Stress

"That this conference calls upon the Negotiating Body to get Network Rail to address stress with the seriousness it requires and take steps to reduce stress."

"Stress is an issue which affects everyone in the Signalling Grade covered by this conference, especially Rule Book module G clause 11.2 ?Lead Responsibility? where management are using this clause as a tool to discipline staff for the smallest alleged mis-demeanour. Add to this the telephone calls from Control, Trust Clerks, PICOPS, Rimini and numerous other bodies, small wonder our members health is suffering."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Trust Delay Attribution

"That this conference of Signalling Grades is very wary of how point to point Trust Delay Attribution is more important to Network Rail and more increasingly stressful to the Signalling Grades in the performance of their duties.

We request our Council of Executives to seek an assurance from Network Rail that point to point delay attribution will not be used as a first step to poor performance or any other disciplinary action against our members. We also seek an assurance from our Council of Executives that any such action taken by Network Rail will be fought vigorously an behalf of our members."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Health & Welfare Arrangements

"That this conference is deeply concerned over the direction that Network Rail is taking regarding our members Health & Welfare.

We call upon the Council of Executives to enter into urgent negotiations with the view of:

(a) Medicals/Drug Testing to be 'in house'.

(b) Cease ALL use of outside agencies for any health related issues.

(c) Set up an appeal panel that consists of equal members from this Union and Network Rail, with Union approved Doctors in attendance.

(d) To completely review ALL medical standards defined in the ?Network Rail Standards Manual? and rewrite only after a FULL negotiation, NOT consultation, has been achieved with our Union. (Any issues concerning Welfare of our members to be Negotiation, not Consultation)

(e) Come to a clear and common sense view on the matter of 'Over the Counter Medication'.

(f) Return to a dedicated member of the personnel department for all Health & Welfare issues, which would remain confidential."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Annual Leave

"Annual leave should be allocated per year as stated in the contract of employment for full time employees within Network Rail irrespective of shift patterns or length of turns.

Staff that are in full time employment are entitled to 28 days and 29 days after 10 years service. Network Rail has a new phase standardisation, however when it comes to annual leave there is no standardisation at all as can be seen in the following:

Clerical & Management on a 36 hour week are on full entitlement. Maintenance (ex Jarvis) on a 35 hour week are on full entitlement irrespective of shift patterns. Signallers governed by a matrix system, eg.

o Fault Control staff based at York IECC on 12 hour shifts receive the full entitlement.
o Signallers based at York IECC on 12 hour shifts receive 17 or 19 days leave depending on length of service.

We call upon the Council of Executives to enter into talks with Network Rail to standardise the annual leave entitlement throughout the company."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Mentor Training

"That this conference requests our representatives tell management this is how the system shall work:

The selected Mentor is the sole tutor for the trainee throughout their period of training in the Signal Box. Whilst this can be easily achieved in some locations, in multi-panel Signal Boxes where the roster complies with SRI and changes from less busy panels to very busy panels then the Mentor shall be released from their turn on the roster for the duration of the training period to comply with the training schedule. This way the trainee gets the safe, dedicated training required and not the hap-hazard shadow training they currently get."

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Travel Facilities

"That this conference calls upon the Council of Executives to clarify what is happening with the claim for priv rate and free travel for non safe guarded staff and also calls upon General Secretary to keep union members updated in the RMT magazine on the progress of the claim".

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Bank Holiday Payments

"That this conference calls upon the Council of Executives to address the discrepancy when working a 12 hour shift on a Bank Holiday, eg. 0600-1800 high rate is paid at 250% which means payment in total is 30 hours, 0600-1800 low rate is paid at 150% plus a day in lieu which means payment in total is 18 hours plus a day in lieu. The day in lieu =7 hours 12mins which makes a total of 25 hours 12 mins, a discrepancy of 4 hours 48 mins".

GGC Decision

"That we instruct the General Secretary to take up this matter in line with Conference decision."

Cognisco Assessment Method

"That this Conference instructs the General Secretary to seek an urgent meeting with Network Rail and a representative body of the Signalling Grades Conference members to discuss and consult fully on this new method called Cognisco for assessing Signallers/Operations grades members. Failure for the employer to agree to this we will instruct our members not to take any part in this system until the employer is prepared to meet and full consult the Signalling grades/Operations grades members".

GGC Decision

"That we note that a meeting on this matter is to take place. However, as signalling grades conference delegates are not part of the bargaining process we will be unable to invite said delegates."

I will keep members and branches fully informed of the progress of these resolutions in due course.

General Secretary,
Bob Crow