According to internal communication, the pay talks on the 16th TSSA, ASLEF and Unite turned up, RMT didn't as they're negotiating at a national level? Now, we all know where the buck stops but ultimately it is the TOC that pays the staff, only now the TOC has no commercial freedom..... we basically have nationalisation now and we're seeing the very reasons why I've always been against it.
Separate communication from TSSA stated that it is now on record that any pay increase must be linked with better productivity, or "strings attached" as they put it.
I don't necessarily have a problem with this to a degree, there are roles within the railway that do need to be made more flexible to change with the times and this could be a way of redeployment of booking office staff, it states that they (TSSA) will accept absolutely no changes to conditions without consultation (fair).
The fact that the email mentions booking office staff specifically suggests that this could be the main issue from the TOC side of the dispute.
I don't want to copy and paste the email as it does contain what can be deemed derogatory comments about the TOC I'm employed by which would leave me liable to disciplinary action (a lot of people including managers know who i am on here) though this email has been sent to all members at my TOC so someone else may post it.
It also states that TSSA are now looking to ballot for industrial action.