Zeberdee
29-09-2008, 03:34 PM
Network Rail refuses to honour agreements on transfers and rosters
NEARLY 450 RMT signallers and signalling supervisors in Scotland are to stage two 24-hour strikes next week over a breakdown in industrial relations caused by Network Rail’s failure to honour agreements on transfers and rosters.
RMT signalling members at the company, who voted by a margin of more than two to one for action, will strike between noon on Tuesday October 7 and noon on Wednesday October 8, and again between noon on Thursday October 9 and noon on Friday October 10.
A ban on overtime and rest-day working will also start at 00:01 on Tuesday October 7.
The action is expected to cause severe disruption to train services in Scotland.
“Our reps have spent the last two years trying to get Network Rail in Scotland to abide by agreements on transfers and rostering and our members have made it clear that they have had enough,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.
“Our talks team sat down with NR late last week but the company failed to give us the assurances we need that it would abide by our existing promotion, transfer and resettlement agreement and the national rostering principles.
“The rostering principles stipulate that agreed rosters are binding, and that any proposed changes need the agreement of the individuals concerned, but in Scotland Network Rail seems to think it can change them on a whim.
“Our members are determined to put a stop to a practice that undermines their working conditions and any chance of a healthy work-life balance.
“The PT&R agreement is also there to protect all our members, and it is not for NR to pick and choose when it wants to abide by it.
“Network Rail can still avoid strike action, but the principles at stake in this dispute are straightforward – we expect agreements to be observed all the time, and not just when NR’s Scotland Route management sees fit,” Bob Crow said.
NEARLY 450 RMT signallers and signalling supervisors in Scotland are to stage two 24-hour strikes next week over a breakdown in industrial relations caused by Network Rail’s failure to honour agreements on transfers and rosters.
RMT signalling members at the company, who voted by a margin of more than two to one for action, will strike between noon on Tuesday October 7 and noon on Wednesday October 8, and again between noon on Thursday October 9 and noon on Friday October 10.
A ban on overtime and rest-day working will also start at 00:01 on Tuesday October 7.
The action is expected to cause severe disruption to train services in Scotland.
“Our reps have spent the last two years trying to get Network Rail in Scotland to abide by agreements on transfers and rostering and our members have made it clear that they have had enough,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.
“Our talks team sat down with NR late last week but the company failed to give us the assurances we need that it would abide by our existing promotion, transfer and resettlement agreement and the national rostering principles.
“The rostering principles stipulate that agreed rosters are binding, and that any proposed changes need the agreement of the individuals concerned, but in Scotland Network Rail seems to think it can change them on a whim.
“Our members are determined to put a stop to a practice that undermines their working conditions and any chance of a healthy work-life balance.
“The PT&R agreement is also there to protect all our members, and it is not for NR to pick and choose when it wants to abide by it.
“Network Rail can still avoid strike action, but the principles at stake in this dispute are straightforward – we expect agreements to be observed all the time, and not just when NR’s Scotland Route management sees fit,” Bob Crow said.