RMT National Conference of Station and Associated Grades
RMT National Conference of Station and Associated Grades
11th/12th April 2014
The New Inn, Gloucester
Minutes
CONFERENCE SECRETARY
ROSS MARSHALL
2 Forest Road
CHESHUNT
HERTFORDSHIRE
EN89DB07914 002 851
2014 Conference Officers.
President-Phil Jones
Vice President George Falzon
Secretary-Ross Marshall
Assistant Secretary-Chris Riley
AGS-Steve Hedley
CofE-Dennis Connor
Publicity-Andrew Bratile
Welcome by the President Phill Jones
A minutes silence was held in respect of Bob Crow
Linda wiles was elected as Harassment Officer
Secretary Ross Marshall reported on the executive committee the night before and updated conference on various admin issues. Ross also presented the conference banner, in honour of Bob Crow, and thanked bro Alan Pottage for arranging it.
Tribute to Bob Crow by Geoff Revel. Geoff gave a very moving tribute to Bob, and received a standing ovation.
Opening of Conference byNational Executive (South West) Member Steven Skelly. Questions followed.Steven was thanked by conference in the usual way
Address by National Education Officer Andy Gilchrist.Questions followed.Andy was thanked by conference in the usual way.
Address by Father Ron Keen Railway Chaplin. Fr Ron gave an outline of the work he did as a Railway Chaplin. Fr Ron was thanked by conference in the usual way
Chris Riley took over as secretary for the duration of the rest conference owing to Ross Marshall being ill.
Report by Assistant General Secretary Steve Hedley. Steve gave a full report on the years work by the conference, and gave a outline of the struggles and disputes the stations grades and the wider union was facing.Questions followed.Steve was thanked by conference in the usual way
2013 Conference Report by Dennis Connor, C of E member. Dennis gave an outline on the progress of motions from 2013.Questions followed.Dennis was thanked by conference in the usual way
Address By National Organiser Phill Boston. Phill gave an outline of the organising stratergy for the coming year.Phill was thanked by conference in the usual way
Address by Regional Organiser (South West) Brendan Kelly. Brendan gave an update on local issues facing members in the south westQuestions followed.Brendan was thanked by conference in the usual way
2015 Conference Venue.
Phill Jones from Cardiff rail branch gave an update on the 2015 conference which is to be held in Cardiff
2016 Conference Venue.
The following were nominated as venues for the 2016 Conference and a vote took place.
Cheshunt, Hertfordshire 5
Glasgow 6
Reading 5
Leamington Spa 19.
Leamington Spa was chosen as the venue for the 2016 conference
1. Scot rail Ticket Examiners
Submitted by North Clyde Branch
That this grades conference requests that the GGC negotiate a straightforward agreement which gives Ticket Examiners, who work on-board some TOCs, an entitlement to a minimum of 104 rest days per annum.
This would achieve parity with Conductor and Train Driver grades who in many cases work from the same depots, line of routes.
This would build on our achievement of a 35 hour week and improve the work-life balance of our members in this grade. As well as giving the certainty of a reasonable number of rest days free from duty a year and over the cycle of the roster
Moved by North Clyde Branch
Seconded by Gloucester Branch
Votes for 35Votes against 0Abstentions 1 Motion Passed
2. PTI Safety Incidents
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
Gloucester Branch has great concerns that in the case of a safety incident, door on the catch or other train/platform interface situation the onus always rests with the platform staff despite other persons being involved. It is the platform staff who are automatically deemed responsible, often resulting in disciplinary action. The resultant follow up varies between grade.
We want one standard and fair procedure to be introduced for all persons involved. The current system is totally wrong and causes a great deal of stress to those concerned.
Gloucester Branch would like the TGC to address this issue and work with the TOC's involved.
Moved by Gloucester Branch
Seconded by Reading Branch
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
3 Random Drug Tests
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
Random drugs testing. It has come to our notice that the stated procedures regarding required attendance for random testing is not being adhered to.
We ask please for the GGC to make sure all TOC,s are fully aware of these requirements and adhere to them.
.
Moved by Gloucester Branch
Seconded by Birmingham Rail
Votes for 24Votes against 12Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
4. Ticket Offices
Submitted by Central Line West Branch
This conference condemns the attempts by various T.O.Cs and London Underground to Close ticket offices and move e to machines.
Ticket offices are vital to the travelling public, especially to disabled, old and foreign travellers.
In the case of LUL, they plan to shut every ticket office. This is not only an insult to staff, but blows their notion of “World Class Customer service” out of the window
This conference urges the national union to continue to fight for every ticket office, every ticket office Job and more, better staffed stations
Moved by Central Line West Branch
Seconded by Birmingham Rail
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
5. Franchising
Submitted by Deptford Branch
This conference condemns the McNulty style threats to close all ticket offices on LUL. This union must continue with the fight to protect our member’s jobs.
We are also faced with similar threats to jobs from the new Southern, South-eastern and FCC GN/Thameslink Franchise.#
This may lead to cuts to staff and its is also believe that ticket offices and guards are under threat.
We need to work with our train crew colleagues to stop these cuts which are a threat to our safety and security and our customers.
We need to campaign to keep the customers on board.
Moved by Deptford Branch
Seconded by Gloucester Branch
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
6.Lost Property
Submitted by North Clyde Branch
“That this grades conference is concerned at the lack of a proper procedure for dealing with items of lost property found on-train and in and about stations.
This 'cack-handed' approach by the Train Operating Companies can lead to our members facing unwarranted accusations of impropriety when, later, spurious allegations are made of items or money going missing.
With no proper audit trail and employment law weighted against our members, with only a 'balance of probability' after a 'tick box' investigation it is unacceptable that these companies do not have proper procedures to deal with items found and to ensure that they are properly logged.
It is a particular concern of our station grade members when items are handed in with no proper verification of what the contents originally where.
In order to protect our members in these situations this grades conference calls upon the GGC to ascertain what procedures are in place for dealing with lost property within Train Operating Companies and where these fall short to table the matter for negotiation in order to ensure that an adequate system is in place.
Where this is not achieved our members should be fully supported in refusing to handle such items.
Moved by North Clyde Branch
Seconded by Gloucester Branch
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
7. Service Announcements
Submitted by Central Line West Branch
This conference condemns the appalling service announcements given to members of the public, that are generally inaccurate or plain wrong. This announcements are through P/as, internet, phone apps or TV/Radio
TOCs and LUL constantly do this to give the impression of a good railway, and to mask service cuts and staffing issues.
In the real world this issue is causing serious issues for our staff, who are having to deal with service suspensions and poor service , when the information being given out paints a totally different picture. This has already led to an increase in staff assaults.
This conference condemns this practise and urges the Union to forcefully take this matter up.
Moved by Central Line West Branch
Seconded by Gloucester Branch
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
8. Website Officer
Submitted by Central Line West Branch
This conference notes the generous donation of the station grades website to the conference, from the London Transport regional council
To maximise this, this conference agrees to elect a “website officer” who would be responsible for the admin of this website.
This election to take place from this year
Moved by Central Line West Branch
Seconded by Cardiff Rail
Votes for7Votes against18Abstentions11 Motion fell
9.Travel privileges
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
Free travel. We would like free travel facilities to be extended
so that all staff receive free travel benefits to all TOCS and members of ATOC giving us Nationwide coverage.
We should like the GGC to put pressure on the TOC's to extend our privileges.
.
Moved by Gloucester Branch
Seconded by Swindon
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
10 Lone Working
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
Lone working. Gloucester Branch is concerned that the practice of lone working is still being carried out at various locations around the railway network. Staff are being placed at risk. Increasingly so with the greater number of members of the public under the influence of drinks, drugs, suffering mental health problems or with frayed tempers caused by the annoyance of travel disruption which has been so prevalent this season.
It is wrong that our colleagues are placed in a position of danger and we want this practice of lone working to come to an end at last. The RMT has always taken a a strong stand against lone working and require the GGC to pursue this matter.
.
Moved by WITHDRAWN BY GLOUCESTER BRANCH
Seconded by
Votes forVotes againstAbstentions
11.Health Protection Provision
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
We believe the TOC, should be more forthcoming with provision and payment of flu jabs, hepatitis etc. FGW has agreed to reimburse the cost of flu vaccines although this was not widely publicised at the relevant time. However, we are still awaiting developments on hepatitis This is an issue we have raised over a number of years now, with little result.
We request the TGC to continue to put pressure upon the TOC's
Moved by Gloucester Branch
Seconded by Deptford Branch
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
12.Service Information
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
Again generally managers are failing to help in times of disruption. Smaller station particularly are neglected and ignored whereas extra agency staff are drafted in at the larger stations. This problem is especially noted at weekends when it is apparent from the retail manger movements list that there is only one manger listed on call over the week end throughout the entire region.
This has been highlighted this winter with major disruption over the network due to widespread flooding and long term delays and cancellations of services. Certain areas have been particularly hard hit, such as Maidenhead, Newbury, South Wales and the Dawlish sea wall disaster. Train crews in the South West are being booked off rather than being utilised and agency staff being employed, whilst managers are conspicuous by their absence. It is the station staff ie. the booking office and platform staff who are left to take the brunt of the criticism and abuse without recognition of our work.
We feel this is unacceptable and implore the GGC to address this situation on our behalf .
Moved by Gloucester Branch
Seconded by Derby Rail
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
13Disabled assistance
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
Whenever the disabled assistance procedure breaks down it is always the platform staff who get the blame. No thought is given to the fact we have limited number of staff available to give assistance, general customer service advice to other passengers and safely despatch the train.
Numerous factors can be involved in the failure to provide assistance.
For instance: non production of the list, booked passengers not making themselves known to rail staff, an overload of booked passengers for a particular train, the spatial distribution of passengers along the train and booked passengers not being obviously disabled and therefore overlooked. Too many booked assists with often one person to assist results in train delay.
We would like the GGC to put pressure on the TOC,s to look into this and at the root causes before requesting "please explain." Although we are assured we will not be blamed for a train delay and there is no "pressure" and under no circumstances to compromise safety, we are still questioned over delay a minute which in itself DOES create pressure.
Moved by Gloucester Branch
Seconded by Derby Rail
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
14.Rates of Pay for Station staff
Submitted by Gloucester Branch
We think that all train despatch/gateline staff should be paid more. These are the grades ultimately responsible for the safety of the passengers and the protection of revenue yet these grades are paid substantially less than guards and train managers. We take the responsibility and the blame but are not reimbursed accordingly.
We would like the GGC to take this up with the TOC,s concerned and address this disparity of pay and give these people their deserved wage.
Moved by Gloucester Branch
Seconded by Cardiff Rail
Votes for 9Votes against 13Abstentions14 Motion Fell
E1 Platform Dispatch
Submitted by Reading Branch
Conference,
We welcome and applaud the recent campaign started by the RMT to keep Guards on Trains as we all know it is safer to have a member of Staff who understands the running of a safe Railway system and not one for companies just out to make a profit regardless of the dangers.
However we, as the Station & Associated Grades conference, also know the risks and pitfalls of not having proper qualified staff on hand to ensure the safe dispatch of trains off any platform.
We therefore ask that this Union starts a campaign of “Keep Dispatchers on the Platform, Keep the Public Safe”
This slogan can be used in all literature, posters, stickers and newsletters used and produced by the RMT to protect those grades that dispatch trains in all TOC’s and TfL/LUL (or any others) stations. We also request that a badge is produced by the RMT with this slogan on a similar design to the Guards badge currently being issued and distributed to Branches for their members.
This would help publicise the facts to the members and public as well as gain support to fight against such attacks on the grades concerned.
We need the public to be on our side over this before the TOC’s dispose of an essential grade necessary for theirs, and our own, protection otherwise D.O.O will become the normal working practice and our members will be displaced, or redundant. It could also compliment the Action for Rail campaign.
Moved by Reading Branch
Seconded by Birmingham Rail
Votes for 36Votes against 0Abstentions 0 Motion Passed
E2 London Midland
Submitted by Leamington Spa Branch
Leamington Spa Branch Emergency Resolution for Station Grades Conference
On Wednesday 26 March 2014 London Midland announced through the media that 'head office
and support staff' would see a reduction of around 150 posts.
In reality the proposal was to eradicate the Revenue Protection department, putting almost 150
members at risk of redundancy. London Midland also proposed creating a massively reduced
number of posts undertaking the same jobs but on lower wages and worse terms and conditions.
This conference unreservedly condemns this short sighted and bloody minded attack on station
grade jobs by London Midland.
If this blatant attempt to steam roll through widespread redundancies and impose new grade
structures and rates of pay succeeds then it will inevitably give all TOC's the green light to repeat
the process across the whole rail network.
This conference call upon the Council of Executives to take all measures necessary to prevent this
widespread attack on station grades jobs and terms and conditions. To use all avenues to raise
these issues in the press, politically, and industrially, instructing the full time officer to ensure that
everything possible is done to stop these proposals.
A clear message needs to be sent to all Train Operating Companies.
We are the RMT.
We WILL fight to protect jobs.
We WILL fight to protect pay.