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

April Branch Meeting

2013-04-22T17:12:56Z

Our April branch meeting will be held on Wednesday 24th April 2013 at Tony Benn House, Bristol, starting at 7pm.

]]> The meeting will be held at Tony Benn House (formally Transport House), Room 202 The Tolpuddle Suite, Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6AY.

Please come along and add your opinions as this union will only do what it's members wish it to do. Every member within this union has an equal voice and a right to suggest the direction and action you wish your union to take.

Please come along and support your branch. Every member is welcome and entitled to become involved. We must be prepared to defend our jobs, terms and conditions, pensions and personal lives.

Please remember, the most important part of this union is you.

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

Action for Rail campaign

2013-03-25T22:26:08Z

Wednesday 27th March 2013

]]> On Wednesday 27th March 2013, RMT Bristol Branch will be taking part in a day of action against the proposed cuts to frontline railway staff. These cuts are being forced through by this government under the banner of the McNulty Report and are now the default position for every franchise in the UK. These include closing booking offices, removing platform staff, stopping or contracting out all on train catering and doing away with all guards and train managers. On the infrastructure side, these cuts are now starting to have an effect on frontline safety and performance, with staff being pushed to their limits regularly.

The only group exempt from these changes are the millionaire bosses and their shareholders, who continue to reap billions of taxpayers monies from the railway industry every year. IT IS TIME TO FIGHT BACK.

The Action for Rail campaign is a multi group national campaign that believes public transport should be just that, PUBLIC. Passengers and tax payers are being hammered in every way and if the government were really serious about saving money, then take all parts of the railway back into public ownership and save the £1bn a year that flows out of the railway and into shareholders pockets. Full details of the campaign can be found here: www.actionforrail.org

We will be leafletting at the following stations between 07.30 and 08.30 and we would welcome anyone who wishes to come along and help. Please contact the members named below for further details. Note remove the "NOSPAM" text...

Weston Super Mare ---- Mark Kinsey markkinseyNOSPAM@sky.com
Bath Spa -------------------- Richard Brooks and Steve Hampton
----------------------------------- ytlobNOSPAM@yahoo.co.uk & stevehampton727NOSPAM@blueyonder.co.uk
Bristol Temple Meads - Alex Gordon alex.gordonNOSPAM@rmt.org.uk
Bristol Parkway ---------- Gary Abbott garywabbottNOSPAM@hotmail.com

I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday fighting to retain your jobs, your pay and conditions, your industry and your public transport.

Cheers

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

March Branch Meeting

2013-03-25T22:17:42Z

Our March branch meeting will be held on Wednesday 27th March 2013 at Tony Benn House, Bristol, starting at 7pm.

]]> The meeting will be held at Tony Benn House (formally Transport House), Room 202 The Tolpuddle Suite, Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6AY.

Please come along and support your branch. Every member is welcome and entitled to become involved. We must be prepared to defend our jobs, terms and conditions, pensions and personal lives.

Please remember, the most important part of this union is you.

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

Level crossing crash in Athelney, Somerset - one person killed

2013-03-21T09:52:02Z

BBC News: 21st March 2013

One person died when a train hit a car on a level crossing in Somerset.

]]> The crash happened at about 06:30 GMT on the Stanmoor Road crossing near Athelney, on the line between Taunton and Castle Cary.

Network Rail said initial reports suggested the barrier was lowered and the driver tried to weave around it in order to cross.

First Great Western and Network Rail said no train passengers are thought to have been injured in the crash.

Network Rail has confirmed that the train was not derailed.

Fire crews are at the scene to remove the vehicle from underneath the front of the train.

John Baker from Network Rail said: "The 05:46 train from Exeter St Davids to Paddington has hit a car on the automatic half-barrier level crossing in Athelney - there is one fatality."

Not suspicious

Aaron Mead, who lives 100 yards from the scene, said he heard an "almighty bang".

"A couple of pictures on the bedside table fell over," he said.

"Before we knew it we had endless amounts of sirens - police cars, fire engines and ambulances bombing up and down the road."

Stanmoor Road remains closed in both directions at the Cuts Road junction.

British Transport Police said the accident was not being treated as suspicious.

Network Rail said the level crossing was not deemed as "high-risk", as it is on a quiet road with little traffic.

The firm added that engineers were on their way to the scene to check whether the crossing barriers and lights were functioning properly at the time of the accident.

A limited bus replacement service is in place between Taunton and Westbury in both directions, calling at Castle Cary.

First Great Western said the disruption is expected to last for at least another two hours.

Link to BBC News site

Branch Meetings 2013

2013-03-05T16:28:00Z

COME ALONG TO YOUR RMT BRISTOL BRANCH MEETING ...
19.00 hours - dates and locations as show below

]]>

Wednesday 27th March - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 24th April - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 22nd May - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 26th June - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 24th July - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 28th August - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 25th September - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 23rd October - Tony Benn House, Bristol

Wednesday 27th November - Tony Benn House, Bristol

The Branch Annual General Meeting will take place in December. Further details will be announced later in the year.

Branch meetings will normally be at Tony Benn House (formally Transport House), Room 202 The Tolpuddle Suite, Victoria Street, Bristol, BS1 6AY.

Branch meetings start at 7pm, to finish at 9pm. All regular monthly meetings normally take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month.

All RMT members are warmly invited to attend Branch meetings. If you can’t attend regularly, then just come when you can! We always try to make new members welcome.

Elected Staff Representatives and Health & Safety Representatives are particularly encouraged to attend. Representatives are an important part of the Branch and we rely on them to know what is happening in the workplace. The Branch is also a useful source of advice and resources to help you in your work as a representative.
We are building up a very strong network of reps across all areas of the railway and our ability to give you support can depend on the strength of the working relationship that is built through the Branch with workplace reps and activists.

Any member can ask for items to be discussed at a branch meeting. But please don’t wait until the night of the meeting! If you wish to raise an item at a Branch meeting, please contact Branch Secretary, Gary Abbott bristolrail@rmt.org.uk or Branch Chair, Chris Davidson chris_e_davidson@live.co.uk before the meeting. We are happy to advise you on the best way to take your item up at the Branch meeting.

We have a Branch of more than 1000 members from Bristol and surrounding areas. We are now one of the biggest and most influential RMT Branches in the union.

As an Industrial Union RMT organises all grades and job titles in all departments across the rail industry - and this is a strength that only RMT can give you.

Make sure your workplace is 100% RMT !

SUPPORT YOUR BRANCH - Get Help Organising Your Fellow Workers !

Contact: Secretary, Gary Abbott
Mob: 07817 762712, or Email bristolrail@rmt.org.uk

February Branch Meeting

2013-02-12T00:17:48Z

Our February branch meeting will be held on Monday 18th February 2013 at The King George VI, near Filton Abbey Wood station, starting at 7pm.

]]> The meeting will be held at The King George VI near Filton Abbey Wood station.

This will be an important meeting as we discuss various issues that will affect all members within our area, as the transport industry goes through some huge changes over the next couple of years. Please come along and add your opinions as this union will only do what it's members wish it to do. Every member within this union has an equal voice and a right to suggest the direction and action you wish your union to take.

Please come along and support your branch. Every member is welcome and entitled to become involved. We must be prepared to defend our jobs, terms and conditions, pensions and personal lives.

Please come along and be a part of your union

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

The Railway: Keeping Britain on Track - BBC TV programme

2013-02-12T00:07:22Z

The Railway: Keeping Britain on Track - BBC TV programme showing Tuesday 12th Feb at 9PM.

]]> On air on BBC Two, Tuesday 12th February at 9PM (21:00).

On the Radio Times web site, David Butcher reviewed the programme and said:

A series looking behind the scenes of Britain’s creaking railway network starts at King’s Cross Station in London, where at the time of filming a new concourse was about to ease the pressure of almost one million passengers a week.

As cameras follow angry customers and stoic workers, you get a painful sense of the chasm between staff on the somewhat chaotic front line (cancelled trains are the biggest problem) and their jargon-spouting managers who insist they must “ensure customer expectations are exceeded” and want a “world-class team”. “A bronze medal, a silver medal isn’t good enough: you have to deliver gold, yeah?” insists the manager of East Coast Trains to a room full of bored faces.

It’s as if by talking enough about excellence, it will magically happen. In practice, they rely on the skills of station staff like gentle, dedicated Laxman, who has 35 years of experience, but is about to retire.

About this programme

1/6. Documentary going behind the scenes of the UK's rail network, revealing the inner workings of one of Britain's biggest institutions. At London's King's Cross station, platform staff search for late drivers to keep trains running on time, while management are on a recruitment drive for the new multimillion-pound western concourse. Train dispatcher Laxman has an emotional week as he prepares to leave and head off into retirement after 35 years working at the terminal.

Radio Times link http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/t299n/the-railway-keeping-britain-on-track--series-1---1-kings-cross

On the BBC web site:

King's Cross

Episode 1 of 6

Duration: 1 hour

Documentary following the staff at London's King's Cross station, the gateway to Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh for the 47 million people who travel through the station every year.

The 1970s concourse at King's Cross is cramped and dark, doing nothing to help the spirits of the passengers - something that Alexis, who works on the passenger information point, knows all too well from her experience of dealing with frustrated travellers. Steve, who sells tickets in the travel centre, says he regularly relies on his conflict resolution training.

There is hope that a brand new concourse will lift everyone's spirits. East Coast manager Steve Newland wants the opening to coincide with customer service levels worthy of a five-star hotel, a vision that is frustrated when broken-down trains and fatalities on the line bring everything to a standstill.
Laxman has worked at the station for 35 years, during which time he has witnessed both an IRA bombing and the King's Cross fire. He is a much-loved staff member but will not be there to see the new concourse filled with passengers, as retirement beckons. His last day at work is a very sad one for everyone at the station.

BBC link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qqzb6

Network Rail magazine extract:
The Real Rail Story

January Branch Meeting

2013-01-09T12:17:44Z

Our January branch meeting will be held on Monday 14th January 2013 at Avon Fire Brigades Headquarters starting at 7pm.
]]> The meeting will be held at Avon Fire Brigades Headquarters at Temple Back Fire Station.
This is a short walk from Temple Meads and the entrance is on the junction of Temple Back with Counterslip and Passage Street, not far from The Cornubia Public House. The postcode is BS1 6EU for those of you with hand held GPS technology.

I hope you have had a happy holiday period and have managed at least a couple of days off. 2013 has now started and we are planning for what this year will throw at us. There are huge challenges to be faced throughout our public transport network in our region and we aim to fight to preserve and improve our members terms and conditions. It has already been announced that the First Group boss will be paid £2m plus in bonuses. Is it right that we have members on minimum wage and a government lead culture of driving down wages and reducing jobs. Please join in with us to fight these injustices and claim what is rightly yours.

Please come along and support your branch. Every member is welcome and entitled to become involved. We must be prepared to defend our jobs, terms and conditions, pensions and personal lives.

Please come along and be a part of your union

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

Annual General Meeting

2012-12-14T15:47:48Z

Our branch Annual General Meeting will be held on Monday 17th December 2012 at The Ship Inn, Redcliffe, starting at 7pm.
]]> Annual General Meeting
All members welcome. Monday 17th December 2012 The Ship Inn, Redcliffe Starting at 7pm Agenda.

Secretary’s Report for 2012

Treasurer’s Report and Presentation of Annual Accounts

Elections for 2013 (Nominations to Secretary by 15th December)

Branch Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Finance Officer, Auditors (2); Membership & Recruitment Officer, Equalities Officer, Political Officer, Health & Safety Officer

Branch Committee

Delegates to Grades & Equalities’ Conferences 2013

Motions ( these should Branch Rule Changes only – to Secretary by 15th December)

RMT AGM 2014 Bristol. Reception Committee.

Affiliations & delegates:

Bristol, Bridgwater, Weston-Super-Mare & Bath Trades Unions Councils

Friends of Suburban Bristol Rail

Various National and International Campaigns

Subscriptions/Donations

Labour Research

Working Class Movement Library

Solidarity

Hazards

Any other Business

The meeting will be followed by a branch social where a buffet will be served.

Please come along and be a part of your union

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

Work starts to fix railway landslip near Bristol

2012-11-29T17:46:15Z

BBC News: 29 November 2012

Work has begun to bring in more than 4,000 tonnes of earth to shore up a landslip on a rail line near Bristol.
]]> On Wednesday, part of a bank alongside the railway at Westerleigh collapsed, meaning many services were either cancelled or diverted.

Network Rail said it had begun to build a temporary road to the site to enable it to get machinery to the landslip.

A spokesman said they were currently "on track" to fix the problem by next Wednesday.

"There is a requirement to build an access road to enable access by large plant for remedial works," a spokesman said.

"Around 4,000 tonnes of material will be needed to rebuild the embankment."

CrossCountry services travelling from Birmingham are currently being diverted via Wales and the Severn Tunnel.

First Great Western's high-speed services from London Paddington to Wales are either being cancelled or diverted through Box.

Services going from Bristol Parkway to Birmingham and Swindon are being slowed down.

Link to BBC News site

Landslip disrupts rail services near Bristol

2012-11-28T23:54:08Z

BBC News: 28 November 2012

Rail services between Birmingham and south-west England are disrupted after a landslip near Bristol.
]]> Network Rail said the landslip happened at Westerleigh on Wednesday.

A service from Worcester to Weymouth and another from Derby to Plymouth were stuck while engineers checked the 20ft-long (6m) slip.

A spokesman said both services were trapped at about 08:00 GMT and reached Bristol by 10:30 GMT.

Network Rail said the "down" line from Birmingham was currently closed while the "up" line had a 50mph speed limit.

'Remedial works'

CrossCountry's Manchester to Bristol services are terminating in Birmingham while trains from Scotland to Devon are being diverted via Wales.

First Great Western services are also badly affected by the incident.

Network Rail said the problems were likely to last until next Wednesday.

"There is a requirement to build an access road to enable access by large plant for remedial works," a spokesman said.

"Around 4,000 tonnes of material will be needed to rebuild the embankment."

Link to BBC News site

December Branch Meeting

2012-11-27T15:23:09Z

Our December branch meeting will be held on Monday 3rd December 2012 at Avon Fire Brigades Headquarters starting at 7pm.
]]> We are trying a new venue for this meeting and we will be meeting at Avon Fire Brigades Headquarters at Temple Back Fire Station.
This is a short walk from Temple Meads and the entrance is on the junction of Temple Back with Counterslip and Passage Street, not far from The Cornubia Public House. The postcode is BS1 6EU for those of you with hand held GPS technology.

This venue has been arranged for us by our friends in the FBU.

Please come along and be a part of your union

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

Special November Branch Meeting: Long Membership Awards

2012-11-16T17:25:18Z

The November branch meeting, is a special meeting and will be held on Monday 19th November 2012.

]]> On Monday 19th November 2012 the Bristol Branch is holding a special meeting where RMT General Secretary Bob Crow will be presenting long service awards.

The venue is the King George VI near Abbey Wood Station, Filton.

Starting at 7pm. All welcome.

Please come along and be a part of your union

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary

RMT response to Virgin West Coast stitch up

2012-10-15T14:45:42Z

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow on Virgin West Coast contract. "This announcement is no surprise. The Government are ideologically opposed to public ownership of the railways and, in collusion with the private train operators, have stitched up a shabby deal that will enable them to rerun the whole franchise fiasco in a years time.
]]> "Richard Branson and his shareholders are laughing all the way to the bank. Not only have they made hundreds of millions from the rail privatisation lottery but they have now scooped the rollover as well.

"RMT will continue to fight for public ownership of the railways, a position supported by the vast majority of the British people. This short term political fix will not detract from the call for rail to be run as a public service free from the chaos and greed of privatisation. "

Bob Crow added

"The governments ideological opposition to public ownership will turn the West Coast shambles into franchise anarchy.

"We are now told Virgin will cling on for a few months while an expensive, short term franchise competition is run before a further costly, long term contract exercise. We could end up with the nightmare of three different franchise holders in a few years on our most high profile rail route while tens of millions of pounds is wasted on the franchise merry go round and thousands of staff are caught in the cross fire. ".

"This is pure lunacy and all designed to block the logical and stable option of public ownership. "

October Branch Meeting

2012-10-14T22:59:59Z

Our October branch meeting will be held on Monday 15th October at The Ship Inn, Redcliffe starting at 7pm.
]]> Our October branch meeting will be held on Monday 15th October at The Ship Inn, Redcliffe starting at 7pm.

Another date for your diaries is the TUC march in London on the 20th October. RMT Bristol will be sending as many members as possible to this event. If you wish to take family or friends along, we can help to ensure everyone has an excellent day out. Details about the march are on the RMT and TUC websites. Please contact Jenny Gray or myself for more details.

Please come along and be a part of your union

Gary Abbott
Branch Secretary