A career as a signaller

[nom de guerre]

Plain and simply Good Friday is a public holiday.

Yes they are entitled to show you as Booked Off, if they've given you the required 48 hours notice. It will be paid at basic rate, as mentioned above.

Where is this rule shown, please?

 

[High Dyke]

Where is this rule shown, please?

And why would emergency cover not be needed on a public holiday?

I found some info in the 1994 restructuring agreement. The 48-hour rule is in NRP, regarding change of duty. Have a word with your TU rep or Resources Manager for further information.

We have a number of Relief Signallers in my area shown as booked off for Good Friday, some on Rest Day and some working. If it's a case of late notice rostering for sickness then I'm sure they can still ask people to work if required, even if they've been shown as booked off. However, on the basis of a published roster a person booked off may have made plans and is under no obligation to come in at short notice.

 

[Sunset route]

Where is this rule shown, please?

This is not a rule or an agreement between NR and the trade unions, NR is simply following the employment laws on the statute books, where by an employer has to give the employees days off for bank public holidays unless they can’t then they must give a competently Fay off in lieu instead. If there is no work for you then the company is quite entitled to book you off and pay you a days wages. If I could be bothered I would look things up in my employment law books from LRD which are a great source of information when it come to employment law. https://www.lrd.org.uk/ One of the first things that was taught at my unions reps level one course was that any company has the right the manage it’s business and finances anyway it sees fit as long as it’s within the law regardless what trade unions think. The company always has the upper hand.

 

[Highlandspring]

Personally I’d rather be booked off than spare on a bank holiday. At least you could have a drink if you wanted.

 

[nom de guerre]

I found some info in the 1994 restructuring agreement. The 48-hour rule is in NRP, regarding change of duty. Have a word with your TU rep or Resources Manager for further information.

Ta. Already made an enquiry to my rep. I can see Clause 3.5 in the NRP (pertaining to the 48 hour rule) but nothing specific to relief signallers, bank holidays and being Booked Off vice Spare.

This is not a rule or an agreement between NR and the trade unions, NR is simply following the employment laws on the statute books, where by an employer has to give the employees days off for bank public holidays unless they can’t then they must give a competently Fay off in lieu instead. If there is no work for you then the company is quite entitled to book you off and pay you a days wages. If I could be bothered I would look things up in my employment law books from LRD which are a great source of information when it come to employment law. https://www.lrd.org.uk/ One of the first things that was taught at my unions reps level one course was that any company has the right the manage it’s business and finances anyway it sees fit as long as it’s within the law regardless what trade unions think. The company always has the upper hand.

Thanks. Interesting. I appreciate the company has the upper hand, and I realise this isn't exactly a serious hardship either. I think I'm aggrieved partly because I wasn't expecting it (newish relief after years as a resident) and partly because it seems inconsistent (although if it's employment law, clearly I'll just have to suck it up).

Personally I’d rather be booked off than spare on a bank holiday. At least you could have a drink if you wanted.

Not really. I'm spare on the following day (also currently not required, and also 99.9% likely not to be called in for emergency cover) so will obviously have to remain work-ready.

 

[ffesti]

Is it at the roc railnoob?

I’ve just finished at Manchester. The school is in the old Manchester North PSB building next to Salford Crescent Station. AB only

 

[RedMum77]

Ps. Email appeared to be a generic template saying they liked my application and want to keep me in mind for other opportunities. My status on the portal still say application under consideration.

Don't lose heart. I applied for the East Midlands Future Opportunity last year and there were several of us received that email rather than a straight No, and a couple that were put onto the reserve list. It remained as Assessment 2 completed i think it was (which was Interview) from September last year. I start a position on 19th April anf at Signal School 26th April, that I was offered without applying for, got a call offering it to me.

 

[MMM]

Don't lose heart. I applied for the East Midlands Future Opportunity last year and there were several of us received that email rather than a straight No, and a couple that were put onto the reserve list. It remained as Assessment 2 completed i think it was (which was Interview) from September last year. I start a position on 19th April anf at Signal School 26th April, that I was offered without applying for, got a call offering it to me.

RedMum77, could you DM me please?

 

[OMGImadeit]

Don't lose heart. I applied for the East Midlands Future Opportunity last year and there were several of us received that email rather than a straight No, and a couple that were put onto the reserve list. It remained as Assessment 2 completed i think it was (which was Interview) from September last year. I start a position on 19th April anf at Signal School 26th April, that I was offered without applying for, got a call offering it to me.

Good luck with IST I’ll be going into my 5th week by then. Do you know what course you are doing? Whether it’s VDU or AB?

 

[Rover77]

Don't lose heart. I applied for the East Midlands Future Opportunity last year and there were several of us received that email rather than a straight No, and a couple that were put onto the reserve list. It remained as Assessment 2 completed i think it was (which was Interview) from September last year. I start a position on 19th April anf at Signal School 26th April, that I was offered without applying for, got a call offering it to me.

Thanks Redmum. Unfortunately my status has now changed to application unsuccessful. I will keep plugging away, im sure it will pay off in the end. Good luck.

 

[FastTrax]

hello all
great thread with so much information. i looke don PTS course and it says one can only do it if they have a sponsor. so what can someone not coming from rail industry do to get into signaling role? i understand it requires other safety related experience and skills etc but is it possible for someone completely new to this industry break into signaling role? many thanks for answers in advance

 

[Rockhopper]

You are unlikely to need a PTS ticket to be a signaller and if you do need one then NR will put you through it. For external vacancies you stand as much chance as the next person if your application is good enough.

 

[RedMum77]

Good luck with IST I’ll be going into my 5th week by then. Do you know what course you are doing? Whether it’s VDU or AB?

I don't know. I am waiting on LOM getting in touch, start date is a week before training starts so I expect any day now I will hear from him

Thanks Redmum. Unfortunately my status has now changed to application unsuccessful. I will keep plugging away, im sure it will pay off in the end. Good luck.

Ah sorry to hear that. Took me about 6 applications to get a successful one so keep going!

RedMum77, could you DM me please?

Dm sent

 

[KendalR]

hello all
great thread with so much information. i looke don PTS course and it says one can only do it if they have a sponsor. so what can someone not coming from rail industry do to get into signaling role? i understand it requires other safety related experience and skills etc but is it possible for someone completely new to this industry break into signaling role? many thanks for answers in advance

PTS isn't required for signalling roles, waste of time completing it to be honest. Those courses are generally for external contract staff who will work trackside in possessions and are on 0 hour contracts.

The way into signalling is simply by applying for as many roles as you can.

Don't want to sound doom and gloom but at the minute it's tough getting into signalling as they've taking a lot of training posts on. These posts have already been filled by candidates who don't have jobs to go to but are on retention waiting for a position and then straight into signalling school or have finished signalling school and still haven't got a location but training boxes all over the place ready for a position to come up which they need to apply for internally.

 

[SWTurbo]

PTS isn't required for signalling roles, waste of time completing it to be honest. Those courses are generally for external contract staff who will work trackside in possessions and are on 0 hour contracts.

The way into signalling is simply by applying for as many roles as you can.

Don't want to sound doom and gloom but at the minute it's tough getting into signalling as they've taking a lot of training posts on. These posts have already been filled by candidates who don't have jobs to go to but are on retention waiting for a position and then straight into signalling school or have finished signalling school and still haven't got a location but training boxes all over the place ready for a position to come up which they need to apply for internally.

How is that working at the minute with candidates that have finished IST but have no "Home box?"
I've accepted an apprenticeship position at Colchester but have been told I may end up applying anywhere in Anglia Route. Is it a case of moving around and learning the basics in lots of boxes in the hope a post comes up?

 

[ArkUTD]

Well, now onto the long waiting game after interviews, even if i don't get anything back, thank you everyone here for all the information provided here in this Thread and forum, its been a super help!

I'll let you know in a few weeks what the results will be

 

[Csb362]

Well there’s the unsuccessful email out for Barrhill, now to wait for the next available opportunity to appear

 

[Ccm663]

Hello all,

I wonder if anyone would be willing to have a chat with me on message regarding internal interviews?

Thanks in advance, CM

 

[desrudy]

These past 3 months i have seen ...3-4 adverts about Grade 8 Position at the Ashford Kent IECC with the same LOM is that normal ?

 

[GingerRH]

These past 3 months i have seen ...3-4 adverts about Grade 8 Position at the Ashford Kent IECC with the same LOM is that normal ?

Yes.

The LOM is the same as they are the local manager. People are free to leave and move around the business as they wish, so advertising their jobs when they move on is normal. If theres lots of vacancies it can mean a few things about the workplace..

Hello all,

I wonder if anyone would be willing to have a chat with me on message regarding internal interviews?

Thanks in advance, CM

What is it you want to know?

Again, I'm sure this has been asked previously on the thread.

 

[Toots]

It may be worth noting that Sundays are an anomaly when it comes to the working week. In our area you can only have a booked Sunday off if there is available cover, but you cannot book one off as you would any other day.You make yourself unavailable and hope there is sufficient cover which there never is here!.The only booked Sundays we are guaranteed of getting off are those in between a two week stint of Annual leave, and note, not the ones at either end of those two weeks!. It may be different in other areas, indeed in well staffed areas the best paid day of the week will attract takers, but in areas of high vacancies people get fed up of the overtime.

 

[Scooby123]

Hello, has anyone had any experience of taking a short career break with network rail? Is it something that could be possible or is an absolute no no? TIA.

 

[nom de guerre]

These past 3 months i have seen ...3-4 adverts about Grade 8 Position at the Ashford Kent IECC with the same LOM is that normal ?

FWIW, I agree with GingerRH - but if you have any concerns or queries, the best solution would be to contact the LOM directly, no?

 

[GingerRH]

It may be worth noting that Sundays are an anomaly when it comes to the working week. In our area you can only have a booked Sunday off if there is available cover, but you cannot book one off as you would any other day.You make yourself unavailable and hope there is sufficient cover which there never is here!.The only booked Sundays we are guaranteed of getting off are those in between a two week stint of Annual leave, and note, not the ones at either end of those two weeks!. It may be different in other areas, indeed in well staffed areas the best paid day of the week will attract takers, but in areas of high vacancies people get fed up of the overtime.

That’s not just your area.. that’s how it works everywhere and has done for a long long time..

 

[Saracen_83]

Same here as well except we are in the lucky position that we seem to get sundays covered whenever we want them, we even have some people who give up every booked Sunday.... one guy in my place worked one last year, and that was because he chose to rather than give it up.

 

[SignallerJohn]

It may be worth noting that Sundays are an anomaly when it comes to the working week. In our area you can only have a booked Sunday off if there is available cover, but you cannot book one off as you would any other day.You make yourself unavailable and hope there is sufficient cover which there never is here!.The only booked Sundays we are guaranteed of getting off are those in between a two week stint of Annual leave, and note, not the ones at either end of those two weeks!. It may be different in other areas, indeed in well staffed areas the best paid day of the week will attract takers, but in areas of high vacancies people get fed up of the overtime.

We have guys who would snap your hand off for a Sunday turn haha.

20% don’t touch overtime, 50% take it on the easy panels and 30% don’t even need to be asked by rosters lol

 

[nom de guerre]

I’m an underemployed relief so I'll work any Sundays offered. Five so far this year

 

[GingerRH]

I’m an underemployed relief so I'll work any Sundays offered. Five so far this year

You having a laugh right?
We’re so short even the residents get one every week without fail

 

[Saracen_83]

most in my place is 20 extra sunday turns on top of booked sundays!!!...... so not having a laugh!

 

[Toots]

It certainly highlights the differences between areas .If we had continuity of Management it would help but I've had about twenty people refer to themselves as my LOM in the past fourteen years, so getting replacements for boxes, and indeed Management positions, that are simply turnstiles for better jobs is difficult and tends to take an age.

Worst of all some areas get free tea and coffee, something we've never had!