Would be RMT leader says rail workers should have 32 hour weeks or they'll be strikes

[pemma]

THE would-be leader of the rail union RMT has warned of the prospects of Scottish strikes to win more pay and shorter working weeks for workers.

Mick Cash, seen by many as the front runner to succeed the late Bob Crow as head of the 80,000-member union, said he would lodge claims with rail chiefs for a basic 32-hour week.

It could lead to strikes and disruption to help win a better work-life balance for workers in the coming months, Mr Cash warned, as ballot papers for a vote on the general secretary role were dispatched to RMT members.

However a Scotrail insider said immediate disruption was unlikely as pay deals were already in place.

Mr Cash is currently acting general secretary of the RMT, after serving for 12 years as Mr Crow's deputy. He said a shorter working week would give thousands of transport workers more time off, increase hourly pay rates and create thousands of jobs.

He said it offered an alternative to plans by some employers to cut staff - plans he said were being encouraged by the Government.

Mr Cash claims to have secured the biggest number of nominations for the top job among the union's Scottish branches

He said: "Transport bosses are raking in massive profits and bonuses while rail and bus workers work long, unsocial hours keeping our transport network moving all year round.

"My aim is to negotiate a basic 32-hour week for all our members so that they can spend more time relaxing and with their loved ones, and the truth is that the employers can easily afford it, because they are awash with cash and will become even more so as the economy grows."

He said it would be up to *transport bosses whether his proposals resulted in disruption. "I hope that employers will embrace our claim, but if they refuse to address it there could well be widespread industrial action and that will inevitably mean disruption for passengers.

"But shorter hours means more jobs and a safer and more productive workforce, and that will benefit transport users and the wider economy as well as loyal transport workers."

The RMT also represents thousands of workers in offshore energy and shipping, and Mr Cash also called for better leave and improvements in safety for offshore workers and seafarers.

"Instead of squeezing workers to maximise profits for the few, our multibillion offshore and shipping industry should make a massive new investment to improve safety and give more time off for its workforce," Mr Cash said.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/...aff-could-strike-in-32-hour-week-bid.24811512

I wonder if this is actually a serious proposal or whether he's just trying to gain publicity to get chosen as leader.

 

[Moonshot]

I was kind of wondering where the long unsocial hours quoted above actually apply to me. Currently I work a 35 hour week, and only do that over 4 days. Every 3 weeks I get a 5 day weekend. I love it !! If I work Sundays , I actually get paid overtime as well.

As far as i m concerned , its a brilliant job for having a quality work/life balance....even when I start at 4am , I can be home by 11am.

32 hours would be even better if it happens !! Not so sure if it is a serious proposal though....

 

[CdBrux]

Presumably Mr Cash would welcome, and campaign for, a suitable fare rise to pay for this?

 

[Quickthorn]

I was kind of wondering where the long unsocial hours quoted above actually apply to me. Currently I work a 35 hour week, and only do that over 4 days. Every 3 weeks I get a 5 day weekend. I love it !! If I work Sundays , I actually get paid overtime as well.

As far as i m concerned , its a brilliant job for having a quality work/life balance....even when I start at 4am , I can be home by 11am.

32 hours would be even better if it happens !! Not so sure if it is a serious proposal though....

Exactly my feelings - plus, on a lot of weeks, the diagrams don't add up to 35 anyway. I wouldn't be striking or taking any sort of industrial action just for three hours less per week.

 

[Moonshot]

Exactly my feelings - plus, on a lot of weeks, the diagrams don't add up to 35 anyway. I wouldn't be striking or taking any sort of industrial action just for three hours less per week.

Indeed they dont.....in fact some of the ones I have had over the last few weeks which officially ended at 1.45am in the morning meant I was home before midnight.

Its a fabulous career, i d thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants to get away from a 9-5 5 day a week role....

 

[Yew]

Why do I get the feeling he wont be willing to accept 3 hours less pay per week...

 

[Moonshot]

Why do I get the feeling he wont be willing to accept 3 hours less pay per week...

Well I for one wouldnt complain if it meant that my salary stayed the same ( which of course would be an increase in the hourly rate to compensate for those lost 3 hours ), but if it meant that more staff could be employed , then great.

 

[pemma]

Well I for one wouldnt complain if it meant that my salary stayed the same ( which of course would be an increase in the hourly rate to compensate for those lost 3 hours ), but if it meant that more staff could be employed , then great.

There's been suggestions by various prominent people recently that employees shouldn't have to work 5 day weeks consisting of 37.5 to 42.5 hours and various newspapers have run polls saying "Would you accept a 4 day week even if it meant a cut in pay?" to which most people have voted no. Hardly surprising given numerous people objected to the idea of banning employees from working more than 48 hours in a week.

 

[dstrat]

The 37-48 working week has provided a very poor work-life balance and is a Victorian idea that really does need to be challenged.

It is quite absurd that we have to spend our very existence holed up at work in the manner of current. We all should be making our contribution to society but it has got be said that the long hours of current are perhaps a bridge too far.

I think the 32 hour working week is a step in the right direction and paves the way for better rights for all outside the rail industry too.

As usual, the hysteria will erupt at the thought and the financial plausibility of the arrangement will be scoffed at. But hopefully, just hopefully something like this does occur and actually - oh yes we can actually do this without the collapse of society that those with the purse strings would proclaim.

Here's hoping.

 

[Moonshot]

There's been suggestions by various prominent people recently that employees shouldn't have to work 5 day weeks consisting of 37.5 to 42.5 hours and various newspapers have run polls saying "Would you accept a 4 day week even if it meant a cut in pay?" to which most people have voted no. Hardly surprising given numerous people objected to the idea of banning employees from working more than 48 hours in a week.

4 days a week is brilliant ...... i cant actually put a price on the free time !! What i would say though to those who do work a 5 day week is to really consider a job which only involves working 4. If any political party put that in there manifesto as mandatory, I d defo vote for them.

 

[dstrat]

Hardly surprising given numerous people objected to the idea of banning employees from working more than 48 hours in a week.

There is no need to voice 'objection'. Any employee should they choose, can opt-out of the EU Working Time Directive that mandates the 48-hour working week.

 

[pemma]

There is no need to voice 'objection'. Any employee should they choose, can opt-out of the EU Working Time Directive that mandates the 48-hour working week.

At one point our government were considering make it mandatory in the UK. The opt-out option was kept due to objections.

 

[merlodlliw]

At one point our government were considering make it mandatory in the UK. The opt-out option was kept due to objections.

OK the TOCs will want a quid pro que, so what about 32 hours spread across seven days working, as is the norm in most industries, but most industries work more than 32 hours per week.

 

[pemma]

I think the 32 hour working week is a step in the right direction and paves the way for better rights for all outside the rail industry too.

As usual, the hysteria will erupt at the thought and the financial plausibility of the arrangement will be scoffed at. But hopefully, just hopefully something like this does occur and actually - oh yes we can actually do this without the collapse of society that those with the purse strings would proclaim.

Here's hoping.

While some people would like shorter working weeks I think the idea of waiting longer before you can get mortgage, not paying off your mortgage as soon or not having the option of early retirement will put some people off.

 

[Moonshot]

While some people would like shorter working weeks I think the idea of waiting longer before you can get mortgage, not paying off your mortgage as soon or not having the option of early retirement will put some people off.

But people can have the option of early retirement if they want to......provided they have set aside funds to do that. So working 32 hours a week and also planning to retire early is an option which is viable.....

 

[Antman]

4 days a week is brilliant ...... i cant actually put a price on the free time !! What i would say though to those who do work a 5 day week is to really consider a job which only involves working 4. If any political party put that in there manifesto as mandatory, I d defo vote for them.

I've only done a four day week for about the last five years now (not in the rail industry) and it certainly makes for a far better quality of life........money isn't everything!

 

[pemma]

But people can have the option of early retirement if they want to......provided they have set aside funds to do that. So working 32 hours a week and also planning to retire early is an option which is viable.....

Not everyone earns the same salary. Some people earn £12,000 per year while others earn £60,000 per year. Putting some money aside if you're on the former is practically impossible.

 

[Moonshot]

Not everyone earns the same salary. Some people earn £12,000 per year while others earn £60,000 per year. Putting some money aside if you're on the former is practically impossible.

But its not impossible if you take responsibilty for your own well being and set out to achieve a career which pays 60000 and only involves working 32 hours a week. Paul in Prestbury seems to have done that and appears to be living very comfortably .....hats off to him for being so concious as not to rely on the state for his provision today ,

 

[Monty]

Hah! 32 hours? Sounds like Mr Cash is merely spouting your typical "free stuff if you vote for me" rhetoric that anyone who is running for office would say. Mean while muggins down here is stuck on a 42 hour average working week and while I am acutely aware that RMT is currently negotiating a hours reduction it will be no where near 32 hours.

 

[ac6000cw]

The comments from Mr Cash beggar belief in relation to all the people who would dearly love to have the sort of well paid jobs some of his members enjoy - is it any wonder that many see the rail unions as arrogant and living on another planet ?

 

[carriageline]

Well, I received my voting paper today to see if I want a 32 hour week, and Sundays bought inside (I'm a signaller), it's a tough one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Harpers Tate]

"My aim is to negotiate a basic 32-hour week for all our members so that they can spend more time relaxing and with their loved ones earning overtime thus increasing their pay packet

Fixed that.

 

[pemma]

But its not impossible if you take responsibilty for your own well being and set out to achieve a career which pays 60000 and only involves working 32 hours a week. Paul in Prestbury seems to have done that and appears to be living very comfortably .....hats off to him for being so concious as not to rely on the state for his provision today ,

Some people have disabilities which make it impossible for them to progress in to managerial level roles, while some managerial jobs get offered to people who are friends with existing senior people in the company rather than the best person for the role. I personally know a major high street retailer who has a head office manager who was only appointed because of who she knows not what she knows.

 

[ainsworth74]

Well, I received my voting paper today to see if I want a 32 hour week, and Sundays bought inside (I'm a signaller), it's a tough one

So there's a bit of give and take? Hours per week go down but the week now includes Sunday? Or is this a seperate ballot to the one that's being discussed here?

 

[Tomnick]

Against a backdrop of increasing automation and destaffing (not just the railway, but lots of industries, especially in the longer term), I can certainly see the attraction of pushing for a shorter working week. After all, that's only continuing a general trend over years gone by. At present, said destaffing serves only to increase the wealth at the top of the tree whilst, everywhere else, the number of unemployed or those relying on lower paid jobs can only increase. Shortening the working week, and creating more jobs as a result, would allow that wealth to be shared amongst the lower orders and allow everyone to enjoy the benefits of increased automation - which surely has to be better for the economy as a whole in the longer term?

I wish they'd consider the possibility of bringing Sundays inside as a separate issue though - seems to just be adding to the confusion! As it is, many in the signalling grade are working up to an average of a 41 hour 'basic' week with the enforced overtime of rostered Sundays.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The comments from Mr Cash beggar belief in relation to all the people who would dearly love to have the sort of well paid jobs some of his members enjoy - is it any wonder that many see the rail unions as arrogant and living on another planet ?

Would the 32-hour week apply to those working within the offices of the RMT union, with no financial losses to those RMT employees ?

 

[pemma]

Against a backdrop of increasing automation and destaffing (not just the railway, but lots of industries, especially in the longer term), I can certainly see the attraction of pushing for a shorter working week. After all, that's only continuing a general trend over years gone by.

From my personal experience I find the opposite applies. Employers would rather have 44 employees working 40 hours a week than 48 working 37.5 hours per week. I think the way employer NI contributions work have an influence on that.

 

[Llanigraham]

I've asked the question in several places and no-one has yet given me an answer: how will they fit 12 hour shifts into a 32 hour week?
I can see it fitting an 8 hour pattern, but not 12.

 

[SWTH]

The only quick and easy answer I can think of would be to make the shift rota average 32hrs over 3 weeks - 36 + 36 + 24 = 96 / 3 = 32 hrs averaged.

Personally, I'd be happy to average less than 50hrs a week in return for a reasonable wage!

 

[Trog]

The more expensive he makes his members to employ, the less of them there will be as automation of every task becomes more economic.