RMT TOC strike action called off

[a1904]

LNER tickets should be on sale now

https://twitter.com/LNER/status/1638613817641910275?t=m6v6crjEiVTlGfes8MrktQ&s=19

Nowt yet. All flexible tickets including some peak ones on Saturday for some reason. Will probably be tomorrow

 

[Jamiescott1]

Shame. I could do with the compensation as a season ticket holder

 

[lfc84]

LNER now saying tickets should have gone on sale tonight

https://twitter.com/LNER/status/1638640662735380482?t=Q4cFtgHKaBd78TFy7GojJQ&s=19

Hello Martin, the tickets should be released soon. I have flagged this with the team as this should have been tonight! You can set up ticket alerts here: http://bit.ly/2X2R3r7 and this should inform you as and when they are released ^Libby

 

[185]

The suspension is to facilitate two important ballots:

1) Accept; or Reject the Rail Delivery Group's new revised offer.

2) Extend the RMT Unions strike mandate period by another six months; or not.

Could be the end. Could be more strikes in April. Just depends on what Govt/RDG put on the table.

 

[londonbridge]

This is potentially welcome news. I’m going to a gig on the 1st, I suddenly remembered the strikes and was trying to work out how I’d be getting home. A regular customer in my shop works at my local station, he came in last night, I asked him were the strikes still on and he said “at the moment, yes”, so either he hadn’t yet heard or it was before the announcement was made.

 

[Efini92]

Meeting again on 4th April.

Only to arrange another meeting

 

[railfan99]

Fantastic news; may there never be any more strikes going forward.

Emphasis on "may". Nonetheless, positive for not just millions of locals, but also those like me who live thousands of kilometres away and are trying to cover the maximum number of rail kms and experience more of your great preserved lines.

While it may be highly variable between TOCs and employee grades, and complicated by rosters resulting in differing earnings, what's a typical figure in gross (or net - i.e. after tax) earnings an employee in a common grade may have lost if they walked out every time the RMT said staff ought?

 

[Russel]

I'd like to look at this in a positive way, but didn't they suspend strikes late last year too?

 

[800001]

The suspension is to facilitate two important ballots:

1) Accept; or Reject the Rail Delivery Group's new revised offer.

2) Extend the RMT Unions strike mandate period by another six months; or not.

Could be the end. Could be more strikes in April. Just depends on what Govt/RDG put on the table.

The Ballot to extend the strike mandate was going to take place anyway, that is not connected to the suspension of the strikes.

 

[DunsBus]

I'd like to look at this in a positive way, but didn't they suspend strikes late last year too?

They did. In September, after the Queen died, and again in early-November.

 

[winks]

What exactly is the RDGs new offer ?

 

[dk1]

What exactly is the RDGs new offer ?

I was under the impression more information will be released today. Nobody seemed to know yesterday evening.

 

[Smidster]

I just hope that this gets us a little bit closer to a resolution - though with anything related to the RMT I am very sceptical and fully expect Mr Lynch to try and lead all the troops up the hill again very soon.

 

[43066]

I just hope that this gets us a little bit closer to a resolution - though with anything related to the RMT I am very sceptical and fully expect Mr Lynch to try and lead all the troops up the hill again very soon.

So, as usual in the eyes of some on here, the RMT are always in the wrong .

I was under the impression more information will be released today. Nobody seemed to know yesterday evening.

Indeed. All a little strange really. RDG don’t seem to have said anything either.

 

[FManc]

Rumours are suggesting that if the RMT accept the “Dispute Resolution Process” there will in theory be an immediate 5% rise/£1750 payment for 2022/2023 backdated for entering the process. Then negotiations will take place at a TOC-by-TOC level for 2023/2024 pay deal. The imperative thing being the RMT have to accept to engage on the agenda but don’t have to pre-agree/accept the principles of anything beforehand; it’ll all go through normal company council procedures.

If true, it sounds very similar to the two tier approach ASLEF will (hopefully) negotiate/be offered.

 

[BurningFeetMan]

Free travel between all TOCs would be nice, seeing as NR got the priv rate they must be open to negotiations on that topic.

At a push, a yearly token cost (say £50) for those that use the trains for leisure.

 

[800001]

Rumours are suggesting that if the RMT accept the “Dispute Resolution Process” there will in theory be an immediate 5% rise/£1750 payment for 2022/2023 backdated for entering the process. Then negotiations will take place at a TOC-by-TOC level for 2023/2024 pay deal. The imperative thing being the RMT have to accept to engage on the agenda but don’t have to pre-agree/accept the principles of anything beforehand; it’ll all go through normal company council procedures.

If true, it sounds very similar to the two tier approach ASLEF will (hopefully) negotiate/be offered.

Correct, just received email from RMT, attached the text below:-

I am writing further to yesterday’s decision to suspend the planned strike action on the Train Operating Companies while we continue to develop a proposed Dispute Resolution Process.

The proposal from the Rail Delivery Group (see the offer letter here), which represents your employer in this dispute, is that we enter in to a two-stage dispute Resolution Process. We have not agreed this yet and nor have we agreed any of the measures or proposals that the RDG has linked to pay.

What is being proposed is that, if we do agree to enter the DRP, our members would be paid the stage 1 pay increment which is 5% or £1750, whichever is the greater, on salaries with backpay to the 2022 pay anniversary.

But this would not resolve the dispute. The companies still have their agenda for Workforce Change which they will be pursuing whether it is linked to pay or not.

Previously in their last offer which was consulted to the members they insisted that we had to accept up-front the major elements of change they were proposing in order to access any of the elements of pay. This condition has now been dropped and we could implement the stage 1 increment without agreeing any of those elements before they are introduced as Company Council items.

Instead, under the proposed DRP, stage 2 would be to introduce the company’s Work Force Change items as Company Council agenda items to be negotiated and consulted in each of the TOCs. This means that the collective bargaining in each company will be honoured and adhered to without the pre-condition that we need to accept the principles before the process starts.

The RDG’s stage 2 payment proposal would be implemented if these issues are successfully addressed and concluded in those TOCs processes. We are still seeking an improved pay offer for the second stage.

If the negotiations and consultations at stage 2 are successful, there would also be guarantees alongside the pay offer – such as no compulsory redundancies, salary protection, existing employees’ terms and conditions being protected, mapping of station grades roles in to posts, and other matters.



There is still some discussion with the RDG to take place next week on the detail of what they want to pursue in their Workforce Change agenda. When we have concluded that, the matter will be placed before the NEC again for them to consider.



It is likely the NEC will want to consider whether this DRP is worthy of putting to members in a referendum in each of the individual TOCs and, if the members were to vote in favour, the stage 1 payment would be implemented and we would enter in to Company Council level discussions as stage 2.



It is important for members to bear in mind that this dispute is not over – it is paused for now while we consider the next steps in what is a very different approach to the dispute.



We must keep our unity and we must vote Yes in the re-ballot of our members which is coming soon so that we maintain our negotiating mandate at both national and company-level going forward.



We have not made any agreement and nor are we at the end of this dispute.



I want to thank you all for your continued commitment to the campaign and the action you have taken so far.



I will provide you with further information as it comes in.

 

[KM1991]

Latest RMT email to members this morning suggests we are very close, in theory, to the end of this dispute. Referendum will probably be announced sometime next week.

 

[LowLevel]

I'd accept that. Seems an eminently sensible approach rather than the ham-fisted national one.

 

[800001]

I'd accept that. Seems an eminently sensible approach rather than the ham-fisted national one.

Yeah it’s better than I thought, basically back to how a union and employer would normally conduct business.

 

[43066]

I'd accept that. Seems an eminently sensible approach rather than the ham-fisted national one.

I agree, albeit somewhat left wondering what the point of the last year or so has been! This is what should have happened from the start.

 

[jon0844]

Yes, can't imagine this won't go to members and be voted yes. And at the same time, agreement will be given to have more strikes in the future if the second phase doesn't go well.

Maybe the days of Boris and Shapps stirring up trouble will soon be a distant memory.

 

[KM1991]

Yes, can't imagine this won't go to members and be voted yes. And at the same time, agreement will be given to have more strikes in the future if the second phase doesn't go well.

Maybe the days of Boris and Shapps stirring up trouble will soon be a distant memory.

Not strikes at a national level though. Some TOCs have far more to lose than others. Especially guard TOCs vs Driver only TOCs. This resolution has the potential to split this dispute right down the middle…the end is in sight.

 

[jon0844]

Agreed, some TOCs are going to want bigger changes than others, and with signallers and drivers (potentially) calling off action, the TOC strikes will become less and less effective.

We can only hope that common sense will prevail and negotiations with individual TOCs may be more adult like. I feel like that has been happening anyway since the Government clearly saw sense, in that public support has remained strong throughout and they have an election to prepare for.

 

[skyhigh]

I agree, albeit somewhat left wondering what the point of the last year or so has been! This is what should have happened from the start.

Deliberate time wasting by the government, I'd suggest.

 

[KM1991]

I agree, albeit somewhat left wondering what the point of the last year or so has been! This is what should have happened from the start.

Last year, when this started, the government had nothing to lose and faced a wipeout at the next General Election. Over the last month, they have seen a glimmer of hope and had far better polling than before. Resolving industrial action now will only further aid them, all very strategic.

 

[jack31439]

Another agree from me. A shame it's taken this long to end up at the only really sensible of going TOC by TOC. What this means in the long run for "modernisation" and bring us all in line I'm not sure, but at least we have progress.

 

[Sussex Ben]

Free travel between all TOCs would be nice

Having non-safeguarded travel facilities brought in line with what safeguarded colleagues get would be popular I'm sure. Even though I'm nowhere near old enough yet, just having a priv card in retirement would be a good start

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Latest RMT email to members this morning suggests we are very close, in theory, to the end of this dispute. Referendum will probably be announced sometime next week.

It wouldn't end the dispute, just the pay deal for last year. The 2nd year will just be on a TOC by TOC basis - so will still be in dispute if the mandate comes back as such

 

[Meerkat]

I feel like that has been happening anyway since the Government clearly saw sense, in that public support has remained strong throughout

How much have the government actually moved, and what evidence is there of strong public support for the strike rather than just shrugging weariness and far more interest in the NHS strikes?