RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – NETWORK RAIL

 

 

 

 

 

Our Ref BR6/0001

Circular No IR/147/15

10th June 2015

TO ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL COUNCILS AND REGIONAL OFFICES

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – NETWORK RAIL

 

Further to my previous circular IR/140/15 dated 1st June 2015, branches are advised that the new proposals from Network Rail have been discussed with our Area Council reps. Having considered the view of our representatives the GGC has decided to conduct a referendum with a recommendation to accept the offer. Voting papers are being dispatched from today with a closing date of Wednesday 24thJune 2015.

 

The full details of the proposals are as follows: -

 

Pay

 

2015 - A 2% consolidated increase in basic rates of pay backdated to 1st January 2015.

 

2016 - A consolidated increase equal to November 2015 RPI with effect from 1st January 2016. 

 

Importantly, as part of this proposed agreement, and in line with the views expressed by our Representatives at the consultation meetings, we have retained the link to the Retail Price Index (RPI) as part of the structure of agreements with Network Rail.

 

Redundancies

 

No compulsory redundancies for those members covered by this pay claim until 31st December 2016.

 

Job Security

 

Network Rail and the Trades Unions will enter into discussion to agree a comprehensive job security package working within the principles of PTR&R, which includes:

 

Voluntary Severance (VS)

Extending VS to those not affected but who want to go, via "bumping"

Publication of a national Network Rail vacancy list

Re-training

Relocation

Trial-period opportunities

 

Efficiency and Improvement Project (Completely separate from pay discussions)

 

Separate to the pay proposals, the latest offer provides for joint participation (under the auspices of ACAS) between Network Rail and your union in an Efficiency and Improvement Project to deliver savings.

 

This will not affect terms and conditions and these discussions would not hold up the pay offer for 2015/16. The General Grades Committee would consider any formal proposals that emerge and the affected members would be fully consulted in the normal way.  Any proposals would have to be agreed by the union.

 

The issues proposed for discussion are as follows: -

 

• Safe and efficient working practices and processes which identify methods to drive down incidents and accidents.

• Examine opportunities to reduce labour-only, agency, sub-contract supplier and consultancy costs.

• Joint review to create opportunities in our maintenance, operations and controllers teams to enable enhanced efficiency and improvements.

• Develop a forum between Network Rail and RMT, TSSA and Unite as appropriate, to examine options for reducing waste from the business to enable further efficiencies to be made.

• Creating single 'point care' teams.

• Cross boundary working for response teams within Route for incidents and disruption.

• Develop technology for placing of detonators and PLBs thus releasing staff for other work. 

• Train and deploy resident signallers to work adjacent mechanical signal boxes on a voluntary basis for an agreed premium.

 

Final proposals on implementation plans for any agreed changes would be delivered by 30th November 2015.

 

Since last week concerns have been raised by members with regard to information posted on Network Rail’s website on Friday 5th June 2015. The company has clarified their position in writing to the General Secretary which is quoted below: -     • “The remarks under the smarter working section were carried over from a previous posting and do not apply to the proposal made to RMT on Monday 1st June 2015.  • The issues to be discussed in the Efficiency and Improvement Project are separate from the pay proposals and will not affect your members’ Terms and Conditions.  • Specifically, the remarks on signalling engineers (S&T) team size on the website should not have appeared there and are withdrawn.  We will not table this matter during the Efficiency and Improvement Project meetings.  • Our proposal listed specific items to be agreed through the Efficiency and Improvement Project and we look forward to jointly developing opportunities with the Trade Unions in this forum. “

 

Having considered this latest offer with our reps we believe it is a significant improvement and our recommendation is formembers to accept it. It cannot be understated just how important the massive ballot result and the clear will of our members to take industrial action has been to achieving this improved offer.

 

This proposal will mean members get two years of consolidated pay increases and a two year no compulsory redundancy guarantee. Considering at the start they stated members would have to sell off terms and conditions in order to get a pay rise and refused to guarantee no redundancies, it is clear the solidarity and determination of members has forced Network Rail to move their position massively. As a democratic union, members will have the final say on this offer and should begin receiving their papers early next week. 

 

If any member has not received their voting paper by Wednesday 17th June 2015 please ask them to  contact the National Helpline on 0800 376 3706 or by email to info@rmt.org.uk

 

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash

General Secretary