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Tag: RMT

  • PRESS RELEASE : Eurostar security staff cancel strike action [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Eurostar security staff cancel strike action [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 21 December 2022.

    Eurostar security staff cancel strike action following an improved offer.

    Strike action by RMT members working on the Eurostar security contract for Mitie tomorrow (December 22) has been called off after the company made an improved pay offer of over 10 per cent and an uplift of nearly 30 per cent for the lowest paid.

    The union has also secured guaranteed hours on permanent shift patterns and employees who work flexibly will be offered choices which suit their individual requirements. The new deal includes an uplift of 10.3 per cent including back pay and a 28.89 per cent increase for the lowest paid staff.

    The company has also agreed to looking at the discretionary sick pay policy clause to ensure employees have a review before any decision is made on whether it is payable.

    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch congratulated members for being steadfast in pursuit of a decent pay increase and improved conditions.

    “These workers have fought hard for an improvement in the offer and succeeded,” he said.

  • PRESS RELEASE : RMT Win Transport for Wales Pay Award [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : RMT Win Transport for Wales Pay Award [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 17 December 2022.

    Rail union RMT welcomed a pay deal with Transport for Wales (TfW) today.

    After intense negotiations and no strike action, RMT members won between a 6.6% and 9.5% pay rise, on the Welsh government owned operator.
    RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “I congratulate members on securing a negotiated settlement on pay and conditions.
    “RMT has now secured deals with the devolved governments in both Wales and Scotland.
    “The union has also secured pay deals on TfL and several areas where metro mayors are in charge of the railway franchise including companies like Merseyrail.
    “The Westminster government is the odd one out and needs to create the conditions for RMT to secure a negotiated settlement with Network Rail and the train operators on working conditions, pay and job security.”
  • PRESS RELEASE : RMT Agrees to All-Industry Talks [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : RMT Agrees to All-Industry Talks [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 15 December 2022.

    RAIL union RMT attended talks convened by the Rail Minister Huw Merriman tonight including Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group and agreed to further discussions.

    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that the minister requested further talks between RMT and the employers in order to find resolutions.

    “These meetings will be arranged but in the meantime all industrial action remains in place,” he said.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Network Rail RMT Members Vote 64% to 36% to Continue Strike [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Network Rail RMT Members Vote 64% to 36% to Continue Strike [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 12 December 2022.

    Network Rail members emphatically reject company offer

    RMT members from Network Rail have voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest offer from company bosses.
    It means that all strike action this week, from 6pm Christmas Eve until 6am on December 27 and into the new year, remains on for both Network Rail and the 14 train operating companies under the DfT mandate.
    63.6% voted to reject the Network Rail offer on an 83% turnout.
    The Network Rail offer included a 5pc and 4pc pay rise over a two-year period with thousands of job losses, 50pc cut in scheduled maintenance tasks and a 30pc increase in unsocial hours.
    Bosses at Network Rail have also said they will try and impose these detrimental changes from December 15.
    RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “This is a huge rejection of Network Rail’s substandard offer and shows that our members are determined to take further strike action in pursuit of a negotiated settlement.
    “The government is refusing to lift a finger to prevent these strikes and it is clear they want to make effective strike action illegal in Britain.
    “We will resist that and our members, along with the entire trade union movement will continue their campaign for a square deal for workers, decent pay increases and good working conditions.”
  • PRESS RELEASE : RMT Request Talks with Rishi Sunak [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : RMT Request Talks with Rishi Sunak [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 10 December 2022.

    Rail union RMT request talks with PM to resolve rail strikes.

    Letter below.

    10 Downing Street
    London​

    SW1A 2AA

    9th December 2022

    Dear Prime Minister,

    National Rail strikes

    I’m writing to you to ask you to meet with me as a matter of urgency.

    From the reports in the press, Mark Harper’s appearance at the Transport Committee and from what I have been directly told by the Rail Delivery Group’s negotiators, it is now clear to my union and the wider public that No. 10 is directing the mandate for the rail companies and has torpedoed the talks.

    There is no reason why this dispute could not be settled in the same way that RMT has resolved disputes in Scotland and Wales. Where the Scottish and Welsh governments have had responsibility for mandates, pay settlements for 2022 have been agreed and neither of these settlements have been conditional on cutting staffing, and eroding safety, security and accessibility.

    It is already a national scandal that your government has been paying the train operating companies not to settle the dispute, indemnifying them to the tune of £300 million so that they have no incentive to reach a resolution.

    It’s not clear to me why, on top of this, your government has now torpedoed the negotiations, but I now believe that a meeting with yourself represents the best prospect of any renewed progress.

    We have a duty to explore every possible option for settling this dispute and I’m willing to do my part. I hope you will agree to meet me.

    Yours sincerely

    Michael Lynch
    General Secretary

  • PRESS RELEASE : Rail union RMT has decided today to put a new offer from Network Rail to members [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : Rail union RMT has decided today to put a new offer from Network Rail to members [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 5 December 2022.

    Rail union RMT has decided today to put a new offer from Network Rail to members in an electronic referendum with a recommendation to reject which will close next Monday, December 12 at Noon.

    All strike action planned for December 13,14, 16 and 17 will go ahead as planned. 

    Furthermore, further strike action will take place and members will be instructed not to book on from between 18.00 hours on December 24 through to 05.59 hours December 27 2022.

    This strike coincides with the wind down of passenger services and the commencement of engineering works. 

    All scheduled overtime bans have been cancelled.

    On the train operating companies there has been no improved offer from the Rail Delivery Group who still await a mandate from the government. As a result, all scheduled strike action will go ahead and the union awaits the outcome of a planned meeting with the RDG tomorrow. 

    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that it was unfortunate that that union had been compelled to take this action due to the continuing intransigence of the employers. 

    “We remain available for talks in order to resolve these issues but we will not bow to pressure from the employers and the government to the detriment of our members,” he said.

  • PRESS RELEASE : RMT today rejected the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) offer [December 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : RMT today rejected the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) offer [December 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 4 December 2022.

    Rail Union, RMT today rejected the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) offer and demanded a meeting tomorrow morning to resolve the dispute.

    After months of no offer at all from the RDG, finally the DfT gave rail operators a mandate to make a proposal to the RMT.

    The RDG is offering 4% in 2022 and 2023 which is conditional on RMT members accepting vast changes to working practices, huge job losses, Driver Only Operated (DOO) trains on all companies and the closure of all ticket offices.

    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We have rejected this offer as it does not meet any of our criteria for securing a settlement on long term job security, a decent pay rise and protecting working conditions.

    “The RDG and DfT who sets their mandate, both knew this offer would not be acceptable to RMT members.

    “If this plan was implemented, it would not only mean the loss of thousands of jobs but the use of unsafe practices such as DOO and would leave our railways chronically understaffed.

    “RMT is demanding an urgent meeting with the RDG tomorrow morning with a view to securing a negotiated settlement on job security, working conditions and pay.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : RMT members working as security staff for Eurostar will walkout [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : RMT members working as security staff for Eurostar will walkout [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 30 November 2022.

    RMT members working as security staff for Eurostar will walkout on the 16,18,22 and 23 of December in a dispute over pay.

    The workers, some of whom earn as little as £10.66 per hour rejected a below inflation pay offer and emphatically voted for strike action with an 81% ‘yes’ vote.
    The strike action will severely affect Eurostar services and travel plans for people over the December period.
    Security staff perform essential duties of keeping passengers safe during international rail travel and are contracted out to facilities management company Mitie.
    Mitie made £50m in profit between March and September this year.
    Over 100 staff are expected to take part in the action.
    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Eurostar security staff are essential to the running of Eurostar, and it is disgraceful they are not being paid a decent wage.
    “They work long unsocial hours and a multimillion-pound company like Mitie can easily afford to pay them decently for the essential work they do.
    “We do not want to disrupt people’s travel plans, but our members need a pay rise, and this is the only way management will listen.
    “I urge Mitie and Eurostar to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT as soon as possible.”
  • PRESS RELEASE : RMT will put on a series of 48 hour strikes in December and January [November 2022]

    PRESS RELEASE : RMT will put on a series of 48 hour strikes in December and January [November 2022]

    The press release issued by the RMT on 22 November 2022.

    Rail union, RMT will put on a series of 48 hour strikes in December and January after industry bosses failed to offer any new deals to reach a settlement.

    Over 40,000 members across Network and 14 Train Operating Companies will take strike action on 13, 14, 16 and 17 December and on January 3,4,6 and 7.

    There will also be an overtime ban across the railways from 18 December until 2 January, meaning RMT be taking industrial action for 4 weeks.

    Despite every effort made by our negotiators, it is clear that that the government is directly interfering with our attempts to reach a settlement.

    The union suspended previous strike action in good faith to allow for intensive negotiations to resolve the dispute.

    Yet, Network Rail have failed to make an improved offer on jobs, pay and conditions for our members during the last two weeks of talks.

    At the same time Rail Delivery Group, representing the train operating companies, have also broken a promise to make a meaningful offer on pay and conditions and even cancelled negotiations that were due to take place yesterday.

    We also have evidence from all 14 of the train companies denying that Rail Delivery Group has the authority to conduct negotiations on their behalf, even as the RDG urged us to come back to the table.

    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This latest round of strikes will show how important our members are to the running of this country and will send a clear message that we want a good deal on job security, pay and conditions for our people.

    “We have been reasonable, but it is impossible to find a negotiated settlement when the dead hand of government is presiding over these talks.

    “The employers are in disarray and saying different things to different people sometimes at the same time. This whole process has become a farce that only the new Secretary of State can resolve. When I meet him later this week, I will deliver that message.

    “In the meantime, our message to the public is we are sorry to inconvenience you, but we urge you to direct your anger and frustration at the government and railway employers during this latest phase of action.

    “We call upon all trades unionists in Britain to take a stand and fight for better pay and conditions in their respective industries. And we will seek to coordinate strike action and demonstrations where we can.

    “Working people across our class need a pay rise and we are determined to win that for our members in RMT.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : RMT Suspends Rail Strikes

    PRESS RELEASE : RMT Suspends Rail Strikes

    The press release issued by the RMT on 4 November 2022.

    RMT suspends strikes after securing intensive negotiations with rail bosses.

    Rail union RMT has suspended planned strikes on Nov 5, 7 and 9 and will now enter into a period of intensive negotiations with Network Rail and the train operating companies.
    Through a strong industrial campaign so far, RMT has secured unconditional talks on Network Rail and the promise of an offer from the train operating companies who up until this point, have made no offer of any kind to our members.
    Originally  Network Rail had declared discussions and consultations closed and was intent on imposing changes to maintenance without agreement with RMT.
    They have now rowed back and will continue discussions on the basis that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”

    This takes away the reason for the current phase of action and means talks can continue without pre-conditions unilaterally set down by the company.

    The current dispute remains very much live, and the union is continuing its re-ballot of members to secure a fresh mandate for action with the result due on 15th November.
    RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The threat of strike action and our strongly supported industrial campaign has made the rail employers see sense.
    “We have always wanted to secure a negotiated settlement and that is what we will continue to push for in this next phase of intensive talks.
    “Our priority is our members, and we are working towards securing a deal on job security, a decent pay rise and good working conditions.
    “Our re-ballot remains live and if we have to take strike action during the next 6 months to secure a deal, we will.”