25Th NATIONAL TRAIN CREWS & SHUNTING GRADES CONFERENCE BLACKPOOL 2014

25th NATIONAL TRAIN CREWS & SHUNTING GRADES CONFERENCE – BLACKPOOL 2014

AGENDAOF THE 25thNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF TRAIN CREW AND SHUNTING GRADES

HELD AT TIFFANY’S HOTEL, BLACKPOOL

THURSDAY 3RD APRIL, THEN AT 09:30 HOURS ON FRIDAY 4TH & SATURDAY 5TH

President: Andy Duncombe

Secretary: Greg Harrison

24 Dinas Street, Grangetown, Cardiff, CF11 6QY,

Tel: 07872 069462 (mobile), 029 2031 6779 (home)
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF TRAIN CREW & SHUNTING GRADES 2014

To Branch/Regional Council Secretary anddelegates

Dear Colleague

The 25thnational Train Crew & Shunting Grades Conference will be held at:

TIFFANY'S HOTEL BLACKPOOL

250-262 North Promenade, Blackpool, FY1 1SA (01253 313414)

Opening at 14:00 hours on Thursday 3rdApril, then at 09:30 hours on Friday 4th & Saturday 5th.

An executive committee meeting will also take place at 12:00 hours on Thursday 3rdApril.

MAKE THE CONFERENCE A SUCCESS – SEND A DELEGATION FROM YOUR BRANCH OR REGIONAL COUNCIL.

I look forward to your Branch/ Regional Council joining us in our efforts on behalf of our grades, by sending at least one delegate to the conference.

There is no deadline for the appointment of delegates – they only need to turn up with credentials stamped and completed for each day they attend. Credentials are contained on the last page of this agenda. Please feel free to copy as many as required.

Visitors are permitted to attend conference. The host branch, Blackpool and Fylde Coast, has also arranged evening social events.

Our conference has always seen lively and informed debate about key issues for our industry. Branches and Regional Councils are urged to consider the agenda and mandate their delegates as appropriate.

Amendments to agenda items must be received in writing to the conference minutes secretary by Tuesday the 1st of April 2014.Emailed submissions are welcome to

Each delegate upon entering the conference will be given a copy of any such amendments. Emergency resolutions are welcome and will be accepted if they are submitted before the start of conference. Please submit in writing or email.

I look forward to meeting your delegates in Blackpool.

Yours Fraternally

Greg Harrison

Conference Secretary
AGENDA

Thursday 3rdApril at 14:00

Friday 4thApril at 09:30

Saturday 5thApril at 09:30

1. Opening of Conference by the President
2. Civic address
3. Election of Tellers (4 required) and Conference harassment officer
4. Credential Committee report
5. Financial report and balance sheet
6. 2016 Conference: Invitations are requested from Branches
7. The 2015 Conference will be held in Portsmouth.
8. Report of the Conference Executive Committee
9. Reports and Decisions of 2014 Conference
10. Address by Assistant General Secretary
11. Guest speakers
12. Resolutions
13. Two Resolutions for the Annual General Meeting
14. Election of 2015Conference Officers and Executive Committee:
15. Secretary
16. President
17. Vice – President
18. Minutes Secretary
19. Executive Committee (13 members). See Standing Order No.11
20. Vote of Thanks

CONFERENCE OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2013/2014

FINANCIAL REPORT YEAR END 2013

RESOLUTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION BY CONFERENCE

RESOLUTION 1:

“DRIVER RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN”

Submitted by Wigan Branch

This conference calls upon the GGC to mount a recruitment Campaign to target our Conductor/Guard Members who are successful with Driver applications
This Conference calls for a National Campaign to be launched where Conductor/Guard Members who are successful with Driver applications will have personal letters sent to them by the General Secretary highlighting the fact the RMT is an all Grades Union and the benefits of remaining an RMT Member.
This Conference feels too many Members are being lost to our sister Union ASLE&F purely because these Members are unaware of our Unions Industrial stance and our national recognition within the Driver Grade.
Our recruitment strategy should consist of regular visits to Driver training schools by our Representatives highlighting the Members right to remain an RMT Member once they enter the Driver Grade- also local Reps to report back at regular intervals to Regional Offices with Members details who have been successful with Driver applications in order to arrange for a personal letter to be sent to their home address. Recruitment materials highlighting the Campaign should also be sent out to Branches to display in RMT notice cases around traincrew Depots.

RESOLUTION 2:

“USE OF TRAIN DATA MONITOR EQUIPMENT (OTDMR)”

Submitted by Wirral Branch

This branch has serious concerns that Merseyrail propose to implement the use of OTDMR tomonitor/download guards. If this allowed to be implemented it will spread through otherTOCs.
This branch calls upon the GGC to instruct the General Secretary to inform Merseyrail if they continue with implementing OTDMR this could lead to a breakdown in industrial relations.

RESOLUTION 3:

“FOUR-DAY WEEK FOR GUARDS / CONDUCTORS”

Submitted by Wirral Branch

This branchis appalled that a four-day week is not universal to all Guard / Conductor grades who have to work with other traincrew grades that have this condition.

This branch calls upon the GGC to instruct the General Secretary to contact all TOCsto demand all Guards / Conductors be offered a four-day week in line with other grades on the grounds of equality.
RESOLUTION 4:

“NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION – THE ROLE OF THE GUARD”

Submitted by Central and North Mersey Branch

This Branch notes with great concern the effects the McNulty report is having on the grades groups of this Conference.
We are under no illusion that we have a government which wants to decimate our industry and fully implement the McNulty Report. So what can be done? We need to place our concerns back into the public arena and back in the minds of the travelling public and
also push our concerns up the political ladder, as we have done regionally with Action for Rail with the assistance of the TUC, our sister unions and campaign groups.
We therefore call upon the General Grades Committee to raise with the General Secretary as a matter of urgency to call a national demonstration in support of the role of the guard and associated grade groups of this conference and let us take the fight to thisConDem Government.
RESOLUTION 5:

“ISSUE OF GLASSES”

Submitted by Liverpool 5

This Conference is concerned by the number of TOCs that do not issue glasses to its guards/ conductors/train mangers. Some companies issue vouchers to pay for the eye test and reading glasses, other companies do not issue anything.

This bad practise has crept in over the years of privation. We believe that the blue book covers distance glasses, but we are asking that all TOCs give the guards the ability to reserve both distant & reading glasses also eye test.

As the grade is safety specific how do we see signals, or give the ready to start signal in a safe way? TOCs are asking guards to read notices, briefs, timetables, also to sell more and more tickets on ticket machines therefore the need for reading glasses is necessary.

We ask the Council of Executives to take this issue up with all TOCs so all are guards have the ability to carrier out their roles in a safe and efficient manner.
RESOLUTION 6:

“REPS’ POSITIONS”

Submitted by Liverpool 5

This Conference is concerned that some of our members that hold LLC / LDC (Local Reps) Company Council or Health & Safety positions are applying for managers jobs while still in their role as an RMT rep.

As a conference we are not opposed to individuals who wish to apply for any job but do not believe they should be allowed to still hold a union post.

We therefore ask that any Rep who applies for a manager’s job where they will be involved in disciplining any of our members should resign from their union post LLC/LDC/CC/H&S.

We note that this resolution will only apply to members that sit under the Train Crew & Shunting conference and does not affect any other grade within the RMT.
RESOLUTION 7:

“NEW THAMESLINK FRANCHISE”

Submitted by Deptford Branch

This Conference is aware that our Southern Conductor members will face a threat to their jobs when Southern becomes part of the new Thameslink, Southern, and Great Northern franchise in July 2015.

The owner of this new franchise is likely to try to bring in proposals from the McNulty report, including making all trains DOO.

The DfT’s Invitation to Tender for the franchise said that the franchise must “implement DOO on all services that operate on the Core Thameslink Route” (St Pancras to Blackfriars). The new owner may try to bring in DOO earlier than 2018, and throughout the franchise, and do away with the jobs of Southern conductors.

This Union should campaign amongst our members to oppose any such moves, by industrial action if necessary. We should also campaign among the travelling public, passenger groups, and other local organisations to support keeping Conductors on trains.
RESOLUTION 8:

“RAIB REPORT ON THE JAMES STREET INCIDENT”

Submitted by Deptford Branch

This conference welcomes the recommendations of the RAIB report on the James Street Incident.

Recommendation 3 says that The Office of Rail Regulation should, in published guidance on the types of methods that promote the safe movement of trains from platforms, give particular consideration to three areas including:

1. equipment and methods which enable the person responsible for dispatch to observe the platform/train interface without interruption for as long as possible, ideally until the train has left the platform.
2. equipment and methods which enable the person responsible for dispatch to stop a train quickly in an emergency

This conference believes that the report supports our view that there should be a guard on every train; the guard should be able to observe the platform as the train leaves it; and in an emergency the guard should be able to stop the train themselves or give a signal to the driver to stop the train.

This conference believes our Union’s GGC should instruct Regional Organisers and Company Council reps to demand that TOCs respond to this recommendation. We should, at the least, demand a moratorium on any further introduction of DOO while the RAIB’s recommendations are being considered by the ORR. We should also demand of TOCs that their guards should dispatch trains from the best position to look along the length of the train during departure and until the train is clear of the platform, as instructed in the Rule Book.

Our Union should also include the findings of this report in our campaign to keep a Guard on the train and maintain the operational role of the guard.
RESOLUTION 9:

“MFA AND CAPABILITY ISSUES”

Submitted by Central And North Mersey Branch

This conference is deeply concerned that Train Operating Companies (TOCs) are using
capability interviews to bully and intimidate our guards members who through no fault of
their own have been hospitalised or may have an on-going medical condition.
Guards are being called in for a capability interview by senior management supported
by HR where such words as - job capability, frustration of contract and
sustainability of sick pay are being used.
This conference therefore calls upon the General Grades Committee to request the
General Secretary to write to all TOCs to see what capability policies have been
negotiated with this Union.
RESOLUTION 10:

“ZERO HOURS CONTRACTS”

Submitted by Crewe No.1 Branch

Crewe No.1 Branch calls upon the Traincrew and Shunting Grades Conference to campaign to stop all railway employers who have people contracted to do safety critical roles employing anyone on zero hours contracts, as per the decision taken by the O.R.R. Fatigue is a critical component of shift work and all safety critical employees need a start and finish time in relation to their rostered duties.
RESOLUTION 11:

“CONFERENCE STANDING ORDERS”

Submitted by Cardiff Rail Branch

Cardiff Rail Branch asks Conference to support a small change to the Standing Orders of the above-named Conference

We ask that Rule 32 be renumbered to Rule 33, and a new Rule 32 inserted as follows: -

“The Minutes Secretary shall provide to the Conference Secretary and President, within four weeks of the end of Conference, a typed report of the business of the Conference and brief summary of the speeches made by guest speakers.”

We ask all delegates to support this motion.
RESOLUTION 12:

“PRIVILEGE TRAVEL FACILITIES”

Submitted by Barrow In Furness No.1 Branch

The Traincrew and Shunting Grades Conference recognise that the majority of staff working on the railway these days don’t have the facility of free staff travel for leisure purposes or free travel upon retirement. However this is even more absurd in the case of traincrew who find themselves working trains and offering free travel too many rail staff from outside of the UK and to safeguarded staff. The situation is further compounded when we consider that many of our train and freight operating companies are usually owned by state-owned railways from within the EU. We are disappointed that although we have a policy on free travel for all staff that this seems to be going nowhere. We also note that many TOCs and FOCs have reciprocal free travel on their services and we call upon the Council of Executives and the General Grades Committee to pursue these companies so that reciprocal travel can be arranged between them as an interim measure in order to strengthen our aims.
RESOLUTION 13:

“ABUSE OF DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES”

Submitted by East Midlands Central Branch

This Conference is aware of instances of misuse of disciplinary procedures against traincrew, specifically within East Midlands Trains. This was one of the issues which prompted industrial action in 2013. Members are accused of actions which are trivial, which would not at one time resulted in more than a telling-off, or which are non-existent. Charges are bought which exaggerate what may be slips in concentration, or training issues.

Members are taken away from their substantive roles and subjected to often lengthy and stressful investigations during which they fear the worst.

These actions are too easy to initiate and with the changes to Employment Tribunal procedures and cost implications, may lead to injustices which do not get to Tribunal hearings and give employers the impression that they can act with impunity.

This Conference requests that the Council of Executives commissions research on this to include all companies which employ RMT members to find out if the practice is widespread, what sort of charge is involved and what the outcomes are. Research could be done by gathering statistics from each region from FTOs, surveying local reps and surveying all members by an article in RMT news or on the website. The resulting data can be used to formulate future RMT policy and strategy, with guidance issued to all reps.
RESOLUTION 14:

“GUARDS’ REPS IN NEGOTIATIONS”

Submitted by East Midlands Central Branch

This Conference firmly believes that the views of traincrew membership, through their elected workplace representatives, should be considered at every level of the machinery. Whilst we appreciate the involvement of our FTOs this should not be to the exclusion of our stage two representatives, particularly during avoidance of disputes meetings. The full involvement of our elected representatives can only strengthen our arguments and representation. Within EMT, the company have excluded our on-train (Guard) representatives from discussions directly affecting our terms and conditions. This gives rise to confusion amongst the membership and propagates the impression of being an Officers-led Union.

We call on the General Secretary to instruct all Officers that meetings held within the procedural agreements must involve our elected workplace representatives.
RESOLUTION 15:

“5-DAY LINK – EAST MIDLANDS TRAINS”

Submitted by East Midlands Central Branch

Management within this TOC are determined to get Senior Conductors into this system of working by hook or by crook with as much inconvenience to members as possible. After a successful rest day / overtime ban taken last summer an agreement was made to discuss possible quotas moving forward. Since then they have tried to impose their own figures and ordered Reps to start linking, ignoring current CRI and cherry-picking local agreements to suit their aims. This Conference condemns the actions of East Midlands Trains management and request the Executive monitor these abuses of procedure.
CONFERENCE OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2014/2015

Where there are two positions (Guards, L.U.L.) these shall not be held by delegates from the same Branch.