03/07/2015

RMT Union Announces Strike Action

Rail and Maritime Transport (RMT) union has announced Southern Rail engineers and Northern Rail staff have voted in favour of strike action.

The union said Southern Rail members are taking action as a result of a 'comprehensive breakdown' in industrial relations.

Engineers voted nine to one in favour of action beginning 12 July.

The dispute involves reducing the working week to 35 hours, the rail management imposing rosters, the Lean project and a Promotion, Transfer, Redundancy and Resettlement (PTR&R) Agreement in which staff claim they are not covered under.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: "Southern is a company intensively under the spotlight over its performance at the moment and RMT will not have our members left unrewarded as they hit work targets and then face a barrage of attacks on working conditions and procedures.

It is understood Northern Rail staff are taking action due to a number of issues, including the creation of zero hour contracts, cuts to booking offices and 'attacks' on the role and responsibility of train guards.

Mr Cash added: "RMT has made every effort to win assurances from Northern Rail over jobs, services and safety. However, the company continues to ride roughshod over our efforts.

"We therefore had no option but to ballot all staff for action to force the company to take these issues seriously and the members have now voted decisively for action.

"That mandate will now be considered by the union."

RMT members will also join a planned 24-hour strike by London Underground drivers' union Aslef over proposals to introduce overnight tube services.

This strike will take place on 8 July.

The industrial actions come as the government plans to tighten strike laws.

The government has stated its intention to change the law in that unions will be required to prove a majority of its members took part in a union ballet.

The new law will also ensure that over 40% of public section union must have voted for strike action in order for strike ballots to be considered valid.

(LM)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

05 September 2007
Commuters Face Further Tube Delays
Commuters in London are still facing travel misery on the Tube, despite the fact that a 72-hour strike by maintenance workers has been called off. The RMT union called off the strike action, which began at 6pm on Monday and involved around 2,300 employees, following talks with London Underground officials.
11 March 2010
Rail Union Backs Strike
Rail union members have voted to take strike action, which could potentially disrupt Easter holiday passengers. The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said 65% of members voted. Of those, 77% backed industrial action. Workers are angry over proposals to cut 1,500 maintenance jobs. Network Rail bosses also want to change working practices.
12 May 2015
RMT Union Announces UK Wide Strike Action
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced strike action in a dispute over pay. Network Rail workers voted 4-1 in favour of industrial action, when they rejected a pay offer of a one-off payment of £500 and a three year pay rise in line with inflation. RMT said that the vote, which had a 60% turnout, expressed "the anger of staff".
31 July 2014
Fire Brigade Union Announce 8 Days Of Strikes
The Fire Brigade Union has announced a new series of strikes in England and Wales to begin on 9th August. Firefighters will strike for "a few hours" for eight consecutive days, the union said. The strike action is the latest in an ongoing dispute over government plans to cut pensions and extend the retirement age.
01 April 2010
Rail Strike Called Off
Network Rail has won a High Court challenge against planned strikes by RMT union members nationwide. The court granted an injunction after Network Rail alleged RMT's ballot of workers had presented discrepancies. It means a four-day strike, due to start next Tuesday, will not go ahead.