PROPOSED NEW EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS FOR NETWORK RAIL MAINTENANCE

Management envisage that from September 2017 their new contract will be issued to all new starters joining Network Rail into the following maintenance and works delivery roles:

Operative

Technician

Team leader

Existing employees promoted into Technician or Team Leader roles will be offered the new contract within the following disciplines:

Track

S & T

E & P / D & P

OHL / OLE

Off track

Welding & Grinding

Rail Testing & Lubrication

Buildings and Civils

It is believed that they will also seek to impose such a contract on any move, such as depot transfer, even where the grade does not change. The effect will be that our members would have to give up their existing terms & conditions for any move either by promotion or location.

It is likely that on achievement of a new contract for the above, management will seek to extend the principles to the following:

Telecoms

OCR

Locking fitters

Mobile Flash Butt Welders

Management set out the chief elements that they are seeking in to alter in the new contract:

The ability to implement fatigue risk compliant rosters to maximise work in the access window:

Permanent weekends

Permanent nights

Alternating shift patterns for days/nights & weekend working

Part time working

Network Rail policies and procedures to be applied as per Role Clarity contract

Blue/Yellow books & Phase 2 b/c working practice changes agreement not applicable

Sick pay arrangements with a rolling sick year

Annual leave taken in hours

Standard national pay rates

Standard On Call and overtime arrangements

No actual proposals or salaries have been set out and nor have they provided a draft of a contract.

The proposals would mean:

  • Our members on the same grade in the same location working for entirely different salaries, enhancements, terms and conditions which will serve to divide our membership and undermine the role and ability of the Union to organise.
  • The introduction of massively unsocial hours and shift arrangements with the abolition of the roster parameters, restrictions and protections agreed in Phase 2b/c.
  • The ending of the Phase 2b/c arrangements would mean the introduction measures such as cross-route working, multi-discipline working without demarcation, loss of 3-person S&T teams and other team structures.
  • After a relatively short period it would become impractical for two separate sets of rostering, shift/hours arrangements and team structures to be sustained in locations and teams, so it would inevitably lead to our existing members’ contracts and arrangements coming under pressure.
  • The stated aim is a long-term and significant reduction in staff costs so there would inevitably be reductions in enhancements and premiums in the new contracts.
  • Management are determined, through this contract, to enforce a rolling and rapid abolition of the PTR&R and existing Conditions of Service which the union has fought hard, and relatively successfully, to defend and maintain.
  • Sick pay, ill-health severance, redundancy and other arrangements are also likely to be slashed through the new contract.