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TSSA now in dispute with Network Rail

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Trainer2

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The TSSA gave NR until 1st June to guarantee no compulsory redundancies.
This deadline was imposed by the TSSA.
The 1st of June has arrived.

This can be read on the latest TSSA comms
Following reports that NR is planning to slash thousands of posts our union is now demanding an undertaking that no one will be forced out of a job.

I’ve told Andrew Haines that pressing ahead with plans for reform at the moment is both unnecessary (in light of continuing talks about the future shape of our industry) and will be taken as a sign of bad faith when you have done so much to keep our railways running in the toughest of times.

Unless NR give us a no compulsory redundancies guarantee by 1 June our union will be in dispute - which could lead to widespread disruption of the network this summer.
I hope this does not disrupt train and freight services if it escalates.
More talking, less egos, more transparency required.
 
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Carlisle

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TSSA raises strawman argument knowing perfectly well NR is not going to guarantee any such thing?
It’s been a successful strategy so far, in many of the RMTs DCO disputes with TOCs, so no surprise TSSAs doing likewise with NR
 
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the sniper

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When people are complaining about the TSSA being in dispute it's safe to say you don't accept any form of meaningful union representation on the railway...
 

Bald Rick

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When people are complaining about the TSSA being in dispute it's safe to say you don't accept any form of meaningful union representation on the railway...

But are they actually in dispute? I’ve seen nothing to suggest that they are.
 

Bald Rick

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I think they said they would be in dispute if the ultimatum wasn’t accepted. It wasn’t. But I don’t think they have actually said they will be in dispute.

But even if they are, what happens next? It’s going to be a brave move to call a ballot on the issue at hand.
 

Starmill

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I imagine they knew too that their ultimatum could not be accepted.
 

kieron

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Trainer2 quoted almost the whole piece, but left out the last paragraph. This read:

Any attempt to use compulsory redundancies will be met by industrial action ballots and trains across Britain will be coming to a halt.

We may not hear anything more about this "dispute" until the union hears more about possible job losses.
 

Thefellster

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TSSA raises strawman argument knowing perfectly well NR is not going to guarantee any such thing?
Good morning colleagues, new member here thanks for allowing me access,I have 38 years service 38 years union membership and have been on the tools for 24 years now a manager let me try and stimulate some discussion and not offend
Most front line staff believe all others are pen pushers and overpaid, the truth is the office specialists and managers have no paid overtime , no alp, and we are expected to work whatever time is needed, role clarity is awful, avoid at all costs, union, I support my union the Tssa now and they support me, I get free legal and work advice and advise everyone to join, having said that industrial action is ineffective without the signallers and drivers so forget it , modernisation is coming, less staff will be needed, that’s true and has been for years more important now to reduce accidents, yes I know the arguments, no compulsory redundancies is a big win but please remember a re organisation where your job is re advertised on different conditions or location will happen, I suggest voluntary redundancies mainly for office engineers, the reduced overtime that was coming anyway with the working time directives may make it worthwhile for some front line staff going into office engineering and having new ideas , pick the bones out of that , please let’s establish a good natured discussion on a way forward
 

riceuten

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Sadly, there are way too many people here who denigrate unions and the good work they do.
 

Carlisle

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Sadly, there are way too many people here who denigrate unions and the good work they do.
That’s unlikely to be true, possibly it’s more a realisation that both unions & management in the rail industry need to seriously up their game.
 

riceuten

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I'm afraid management have to up their game alone - the trade union don't run the railway, unless you still live in the early 1970s.
 

Carlisle

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Could you define what you mean?
A couple of Union reps I knew (not TSSA) soon decided they didn’t want the job for very long after being continually contacted 24/7 about issues that should’ve been addressed & dealt with directly by a relevant supervisor, team leader or manager.
Alternatively should those members already wealthy enough to sustain potentially lengthy & disruptive strike action during a pandemic, be at the front of the queue for pay increases?
 
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DJ_K666

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I think they said they would be in dispute if the ultimatum wasn’t accepted. It wasn’t. But I don’t think they have actually said they will be in dispute.

But even if they are, what happens next? It’s going to be a brave move to call a ballot on the issue at hand.
I wonder if they are at the stage where they've Asked An Official Question and had a ballot so they have something to go into a meeting with. Unite used to do it on the first pay offer when I was at Brighton and Hove buses. Basically it;s a way of getting some kind of leverage if it might be required before anything does become an official dispute. I just wonder if they've had a meeting and someone's leaked it.
 

Paul Kelly

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The Transport and Salaried Staffs’ Association - they represent supervisory and management grades in Network Rail.
When I was a student I had a summer job as a clerk in Ulsterbus head office in Belfast doing various admin stuff like data entry for tyre mileage and fuel consumption by buses - around me were staff responsible for managing fares tables, assigning costs in the finance systems, managing company payroll etc. I'm fairly sure TSSA was the standard union for all these staff including the low-level clerks like me, not just for supervisors and management (I didn't join as I was only there for about 6 weeks). BTW I don't think there's an "and" in the name; isn't it simply the "Transport Salaried Staffs' Association"?
 

Highlandspring

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When I was a student I had a summer job as a clerk in Ulsterbus head office in Belfast doing various admin stuff like data entry for tyre mileage and fuel consumption by buses - around me were staff responsible for managing fares tables, assigning costs in the finance systems, managing company payroll etc. I'm fairly sure TSSA was the standard union for all these staff including the low-level clerks like me, not just for supervisors and management (I didn't join as I was only there for about 6 weeks). BTW I don't think there's an "and" in the name; isn't it simply the "Transport Salaried Staffs' Association"?

Indeed but in Network Rail they only have a collective bargaining agreement for supervisory and managerial grades (bands 4 to 1), while the RMT is the recognised union for the ‘conciliatory grades’ as it is termed. Staff from any grade or role in Network Rail can join the TSSA, quite a few who are unhappy with the RMT for whatever reason do so, but they can only negotiate on behalf of the grades they have the collective bargaining agreement for.

You’re right about the extraneous ‘and’, chalk it up to my rapid distracted typing again.
 

Tomo

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Indeed but in Network Rail they only have a collective bargaining agreement for supervisory and managerial grades (bands 4 to 1), while the RMT is the recognised union for the ‘conciliatory grades’ as it is termed. Staff from any grade or role in Network Rail can join the TSSA, quite a few who are unhappy with the RMT for whatever reason do so, but they can only negotiate on behalf of the grades they have the collective bargaining agreement for.

You’re right about the extraneous ‘and’, chalk it up to my rapid distracted typing again.
I'm a band 5 at Network Rail and recently joined the TSSA. Would I have been better off with the the RMT?
 
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