The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
ALL REGIONAL COUNCILS
Dear Colleague
NETWORK RAIL DISPUTE – SERIOUS AND IMMINENT DANGER
Members of the RMT working for Network Rail will be engaging in industrial action as follows:
- To take 24 hours of industrial action by not booking on for duty on any shift from 1700 hours on 25/05/2015 until 1659 hours on 26/05/2015.
- To take industrial action by not working any overtime or additional hours or any extended shifts and by not undertaking any call-outs for 48 hours between 0001 hours on 25/05/2015 and 2359 hours on 26/05/2015.
During these periods we believe Network Rail will attempt to run a railway service by using managers to cover safety critical roles and in particular to cover Electrical Control Rooms, signal boxes and signalling centres and train dispatch with managers who we fear may not be fully competent to carry out the safety critical tasks that are so important in protecting staff, passengers and the general public.
These cover arrangements will clearly impact on the operational safety of staff working outside of Network Rail but working on the railway infrastructure. Roles that may be affected in this way by the dispute include, but may not be limited to, train drivers, guards, infrastructure workers, other on-board staff and train dispatch staff.
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSW), Regulation 8(1) employers have a duty to establish procedures to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger to persons at work such procedures are sometimes known as Worksafe Procedures.
A guide to your rights in this regard are contained in the following RMT publication:
http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/publications/serious-and-imminent-dangers/
Should you, as an individual, feel that as part of your duties you are placing yourself in serious or imminent danger during the dispute you should comply with your company’s policy as required by the MHSW. Attached to this circular is a pro-forma should you wish to record your concerns in writing to your management.
Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all relevant members.
Yours sincerely
Mick Cash
General Secretary