Network rail reorganisation and job cuts

[High Dyke]

All I know is whatever is coming is causing morale to drop like a stone. There are people I know in various departments saying this is the lowest they've seen morale in NR history. It certainly is the lowest I've seen morale in my 7 years.

Spot-on there. When I talk to maintenance colleagues they're fed up.

Keep also in mind that in many areas, the 2B/C reorg underestimated the actual workload. So some of the jobs (posts) created since then on the maintenance side, has been to fill in these holes. An example is off-track, who in some areas just could not cope with the amount of drainage work and vegetation control work that was required.

And as electrification has expanded since the 2B/C reorg, the OHL departments have had to expand. But until the vast majority of trains are fully electric, the potential savings from a reduction of track maintenance will not be seen.

By all accounts management are trying to shoe-in the bits of Phase 2B/C that didn't get introduced last time. I participated in a Regional TU meeting this week where the maintenance staff commented about a 50% cut in maintenance (unconfirmed by the RMT). The email sent out by Network Rail caused some consternation amongst signallers, as I mentioned previously. Yet another example of poor communication from management.

Speaking of the Operations side. Management, in their attempt to accommodate the new fatigue management standard have made a hash of it. They based their decisions on supposed improvements to train services in the area. After causing upheaval amongst signallers, on one particular route, they have found out this week that the rosters that were introduced in January 2021 are now pretty useless. Services are set to increase in May 2021 and run throughout the year, instead of changing at the end of Summer. This was something that East Midlands Railway promised when they won the franchise, but now owners Abellio aren't so enthusiastic - nevertheless they made that commitment and have to lump it!

 

[Worldwide]

For what it’s worth PPF for Capital delivery had more jobs than people.

Network Rail have announced that they want to make a dramatic cut in jobs within CD in Eastern Region.

137 NR roles are affected alongside the elimination of contractor positions.

 

[Bald Rick]

Network Rail have announced that they want to make a dramatic cut in jobs within CD in Eastern Region.

137 NR roles are affected alongside the elimination of contractor positions.

Is that posts or people?

 

[Worldwide]

Is that posts or people?

I don’t know it’s mentioned on the TSSA website.

 

[Leicester_Loya]

Warning of national dispute over rail job cuts

The RMT is warning of ‘drastic’ cuts in Network Rail jobs and maintenance of the railways.

www.standard.co.uk

'Rail union leaders are warning of a national dispute over fears that thousands of maintenance jobs are set to be axed because of massive cuts in spending.'

First articles about it all now being published.

 

[RoyalE3091]

Likewise for a fresh out the apprenticeship Grade 3, my only hope is that they think getting rid of someone they've just invested 80k+ into training for 3 years would be silly. Another bonus for my depot is how short staffed we are anyway, I think I did over 60 OT shifts last year, which sums up the levels of staffing needed.


I think you're probably right. Out of our staff I reckon at least one of each grade would take VR, which in essence means another team can be cut if needed, but as we work a 6 week roster, we need 6 teams due to the fact we're faulting 24/7, although that can probably be jigged around a bit. I'd definitely be worried if I was only a maintenance team and didn't have anything to do with faulting.

What are all these technologies that people keep talking about? I've genuinely never heard of much apart from RCM (Remote Condition Monitoring) alarms etc.

Agreed. Literally just finished the ****e that is the Apprenticeship scheme the other day and looking forward to earning some decent money and now all this comes about.

Although saying that we're so understaffed due to sickness/covid and even competencies not available to certain staff that as an Apprentice I've been averaging about 70-80 hours OT a month (sometimes 100 hours) to help cover the roster.

They can reduce the maintenance side as much as they want but what happens when you get a major fault and the delay minutes start racking up due to equipment not being maintained properly...personal opinion is that we're due another catastrophic incident although I hope it does not get to that stage.

 

[Leicester_Loya]

Agreed. Literally just finished the ****e that is the Apprenticeship scheme the other day and looking forward to earning some decent money and now all this comes about.

Although saying that we're so understaffed due to sickness/covid and even competencies not available to certain staff that as an Apprentice I've been averaging about 70-80 hours OT a month (sometimes 100 hours) to help cover the roster.

They can reduce the maintenance side as much as they want but what happens when you get a major fault and the delay minutes start racking up due to equipment not being maintained properly...personal opinion is that we're due another catastrophic incident although I hope it does not get to that stage.

The apprenticeship was proper crap wasn't it, so disorganised, they are clueless at times. Thankfully I've had a year of earning decent money and saving a lot due to lockdown. My advice to you is, if you can, save for a house ASAP and stick your backpay down on a house deposit, don't blow it on a brand new car like most of the lads do.

I hope you're right mate, hopefully the union and all of us will stand strong to fight this off, no reason thousands of maintenance staff should be being made redundant considering how understaffed we are at the minute anyway.

 

[Hellzapoppin]

Might be best to hear what the proposals are first before panicking, only the unions have mentioned thousands of redundancies.

 

[Leicester_Loya]

Might be best to hear what the proposals are first before panicking, only the unions have mentioned thousands of redundancies.

Yeah I don't expect anywhere near that tbh.

Some of the 'proposals' put forward though are barking mad.

 

[Hellzapoppin]

Are those firm company proposals or rumours? As far as I'm aware nothing has been sent out apart from an email today saying changes need to be made.

 

[Leicester_Loya]

Are those firm company proposals or rumours? As far as I'm aware nothing has been sent out apart from an email today saying changes need to be made.

From the RMT email sent out yesterday.

There's a meeting on 24th March where it'll all be set in stone I believe, so we'll see what they say then.

 

[Bald Rick]

There's a meeting on 24th March where it'll all be set in stone I believe, so we'll see what they say then.

It won’t be (indeed can’t be) set in stone at the first meeting. Proposals could be made for consideration of course. Or even a proposal about what areas should be looked at, for more detailed proposals to be made.

 

[Annetts key]

Network Rail Pay and Conditions

The RMT union are still waiting for a formal proposal from the company.

Efficiency measures are expected to be proposed to fund any pay offer.

It is expected that Network Rail will press ahead with its proposals which will constitute a major reduction in costs via a pay freeze, attacks on conditions, major jobs cuts and dilution of standards based on risk.

The expectation is that thus will include:

• Wholescale job cuts across the organisation - numbers unknown but likely to be in the thousands.
• A pay freeze of an unknown duration.

Wide-ranging reorganisation affecting:

• Managed stations staff moving to a “One Team” concept with unknown effects on station staff numbers, duties, terms & conditions in both Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies.
• Risk-based maintenance being extended so that Network Rail can dilute current maintenance frequencies and cycles with some assets completely un-maintained.
• A 50% reduction in Maintenance Scheduled Task with a potentially massive effect on maintenance section staffing establishments.
• Introduction of new technology measures again affecting maintenance and inspection regimes and staffing numbers.
• Joint working across maintenance disciplines which would end the current distinctions between established departmental disciplines such as S&T, OLE, P-WAY, P&D etc.
• Pooling of all Operative grades.
• Overlapping skills between current disciplines.
• Issuing of a new contract of employment replacing the current Infrastructure Maintenance Company contracts.
• Individual/personal rostering in Maintenance (elimination of team structures such as 3-person S&T Teams).
• More unsocial hours and weekend working.
• Progressing with “21st Century Operations”, “Digital Railway” and “Intelligent Infrastructure”.
• In tandem with the above, there is an ever-present drive to simply remove, as far as possible, track workers from the Infrastructure during traffic hours along with consideration of the effects of the new Fatigue Standards.

This represents an enormous challenge to jobs, working lives and practices, and to work/life balance.

A lot of these have been on the company’s wish list for several years. The RMT rejected some similar wish list items during the last pay negotiations.

As it stands, it’s unlikely there will be a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies in place in any part of the company.

My advice to anyone who is employed by Network Rail and who is not currently in a union, would be to join now. Once the company have written to the unions, the unions will ask their members what their views are on the proposals.

 

[Peregrine 4903]

Network Rail Pay and Conditions

The RMT union are still waiting for a formal proposal from the company.

Efficiency measures are expected to be proposed to fund any pay offer.

It is expected that Network Rail will press ahead with its proposals which will constitute a major reduction in costs via a pay freeze, attacks on conditions, major jobs cuts and dilution of standards based on risk.

The expectation is that thus will include:

• Wholescale job cuts across the organisation - numbers unknown but likely to be in the thousands.
• A pay freeze of an unknown duration.

Wide-ranging reorganisation affecting:

• Managed stations staff moving to a “One Team” concept with unknown effects on station staff numbers, duties, terms & conditions in both Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies.
• Risk-based maintenance being extended so that Network Rail can dilute current maintenance frequencies and cycles with some assets completely un-maintained.
• A 50% reduction in Maintenance Scheduled Task with a potentially massive effect on maintenance section staffing establishments.
• Introduction of new technology measures again affecting maintenance and inspection regimes and staffing numbers.
• Joint working across maintenance disciplines which would end the current distinctions between established departmental disciplines such as S&T, OLE, P-WAY, P&D etc.
• Pooling of all Operative grades.
• Overlapping skills between current disciplines.
• Issuing of a new contract of employment replacing the current Infrastructure Maintenance Company contracts.
• Individual/personal rostering in Maintenance (elimination of team structures such as 3-person S&T Teams).
• More unsocial hours and weekend working.
• Progressing with “21st Century Operations”, “Digital Railway” and “Intelligent Infrastructure”.
• In tandem with the above, there is an ever-present drive to simply remove, as far as possible, track workers from the Infrastructure during traffic hours along with consideration of the effects of the new Fatigue Standards.

This represents an enormous challenge to jobs, working lives and practices, and to work/life balance.

A lot of these have been on the company’s wish list for several years. The RMT rejected some similar wish list items during the last pay negotiations.

As it stands, it’s unlikely there will be a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies in place in any part of the company.

My advice to anyone who is employed by Network Rail and who is not currently in a union, would be to join now. Once the company have written to the unions, the unions will ask their members what their views are on the proposals.

Has this come from the RMT or somewhere else?

 

[Leicester_Loya]

Has this come from the RMT or somewhere else?

RMT email sent out yesterday.

 

[Annetts key]

See also this topic

 

[Exscrew]

I have just been offered a signalling role and I am waiting start date... with the current news would it be best to avoid?

 

[Bald Rick]

I have just been offered a signalling role and I am waiting start date... with the current news would it be best to avoid?

You don’t need to worry. Take it!

 

[Exscrew]

You don’t need to worry. Take it!

Thanks.
Just don't wanna join and the get binned due to cuts

 

[Bald Rick]

Thanks.
Just don't wanna join and the get binned due to cuts

I’d say it is very unlikely, tending towards the impossible. Which ‘box / control centre are you doing to be based at? (You don’t have t answer if you don’t want to!)

 

[BrummiePete]

I have just been offered a signalling role and I am waiting start date... with the current news would it be best to avoid?

I would confidently say "signallers" are the most secure and least at risk job within Network Rail

 

[Exscrew]

I would confidently say "signallers" are the most secure and least at risk job within Network Rail

Thanks for reply.
Just having a wobbly this morning.

 

[Leicester_Loya]

I would confidently say "signallers" are the most secure and least at risk job within Network Rail

Agreed.

There's a shortage as it is, MOMs are always having to do it on my patch.

Take the job screw, all the best.

 

[Jdoddy1]

Just accepted a role as Sponsor within Eastern region - should I be worried and consider going back to base?
Or is this impacting maintenance roles more?

 

[carriageline]

Network Rail Pay and Conditions

The RMT union are still waiting for a formal proposal from the company.

Efficiency measures are expected to be proposed to fund any pay offer.

It is expected that Network Rail will press ahead with its proposals which will constitute a major reduction in costs via a pay freeze, attacks on conditions, major jobs cuts and dilution of standards based on risk.

The expectation is that thus will include:

• Wholescale job cuts across the organisation - numbers unknown but likely to be in the thousands.
• A pay freeze of an unknown duration.

Wide-ranging reorganisation affecting:

• Managed stations staff moving to a “One Team” concept with unknown effects on station staff numbers, duties, terms & conditions in both Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies.
• Risk-based maintenance being extended so that Network Rail can dilute current maintenance frequencies and cycles with some assets completely un-maintained.
• A 50% reduction in Maintenance Scheduled Task with a potentially massive effect on maintenance section staffing establishments.
• Introduction of new technology measures again affecting maintenance and inspection regimes and staffing numbers.
• Joint working across maintenance disciplines which would end the current distinctions between established departmental disciplines such as S&T, OLE, P-WAY, P&D etc.
• Pooling of all Operative grades.
• Overlapping skills between current disciplines.
• Issuing of a new contract of employment replacing the current Infrastructure Maintenance Company contracts.
• Individual/personal rostering in Maintenance (elimination of team structures such as 3-person S&T Teams).
• More unsocial hours and weekend working.
• Progressing with “21st Century Operations”, “Digital Railway” and “Intelligent Infrastructure”.
• In tandem with the above, there is an ever-present drive to simply remove, as far as possible, track workers from the Infrastructure during traffic hours along with consideration of the effects of the new Fatigue Standards.

This represents an enormous challenge to jobs, working lives and practices, and to work/life balance.

A lot of these have been on the company’s wish list for several years. The RMT rejected some similar wish list items during the last pay negotiations.

As it stands, it’s unlikely there will be a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies in place in any part of the company.

My advice to anyone who is employed by Network Rail and who is not currently in a union, would be to join now. Once the company have written to the unions, the unions will ask their members what their views are on the proposals.

Haines did send out quite a decent reply (IMO)

 

[Highlandspring]

Just accepted a role as Sponsor within Eastern region - should I be worried and consider going back to base?
Or is this impacting maintenance roles more?

No one knows yet unfortunately. It’s all still up in the air until the company publishes firm proposals.

 

[Jdoddy1]

No one knows yet unfortunately. It’s all still up in the air until the company publishes firm proposals.

Thanks very nerve racking. The communication is very unclear.

 

[winks]

I’m looking at a Grade 4 position right now, Any issues I should be aware of ? I can’t imagine them reducing leave or anything ?

 

[Ceat0908]

When it talks about managed stations under one team, does that mean all TOC dispatchers coming under Network rail then?

 

[Highlandspring]

I’d guess the opposite, offloading some NR managed stations staff to TOCs. That’s just how I interpreted it though.