Network Rail Pay Referendum

TO ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL COUNCILS AND REGIONAL OFFICES

Dear Colleagues,

RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – NETWORK RAIL

Further to my previous circular IR/140/15 dated 1st June 2015, branches are advised that the new proposals from Network Rail have been discussed with our Area Council reps. Having considered the view of our representatives the GGC has decided to conduct a referendum with a recommendation to accept the offer. Voting papers are being dispatched from today with a closing date of Wednesday 24^th June 2015.

The full details of the proposals are as follows: –

Pay

2015 – A 2% consolidated increase in basic rates of pay backdated to 1^st January 2015.

2016 – A consolidated increase equal to November 2015 RPI with effect from 1^st January 2016.

Importantly, as part of this proposed agreement, and in line with the views expressed by our Representatives at the consultation meetings, we have retained the link to the Retail Price Index (RPI) as part of the structure of agreements with Network Rail.

Redundancies

No compulsory redundancies for those members covered by this pay claim until 31^st December 2016.

Job Security

Network Rail and the Trades Unions will enter into discussion to agree a comprehensive job security package working within the principles of PTR&R, which includes:

Voluntary Severance (VS)

Extending VS to those not affected but who want to go, via “bumping”

Publication of a national Network Rail vacancy list

Re-training

Relocation

Trial-period opportunities

Efficiency and Improvement Project (Completely separate from pay discussions)

Separate to the pay proposals, the latest offer provides for joint participation (under the auspices of ACAS) between Network Rail and your union in an Efficiency and Improvement Project to deliver savings.

This will not affect terms and conditions and these discussions would not hold up the pay offer for 2015/16. The General Grades Committee would consider any formal proposals that emerge and the affected members would be fully consulted in the normal way.  Any proposals would have to be agreed by the union.

The issues proposed for discussion are as follows: –

• Safe and efficient working practices and processes which identify methods to drive down incidents and accidents.
• Examine opportunities to reduce labour-only, agency, sub-contract supplier and consultancy costs.
• Joint review to create opportunities in our maintenance, operations and controllers teams to enable enhanced efficiency and improvements.
• Develop a forum between Network Rail and RMT, TSSA and Unite as appropriate, to examine options for reducing waste from the business to enable further efficiencies to be made.
• Creating single ‘point care’ teams.
• Cross boundary working for response teams within Route for incidents and disruption.
• Develop technology for placing of detonators and PLBs thus releasing staff for other work.
• Train and deploy resident signallers to work adjacent mechanical signal boxes on a voluntary basis for an agreed premium.

Final proposals on implementation plans for any agreed changes would be delivered by 30^th November 2015.

Having considered this latest offer with our reps we believe it is a significant improvement and our recommendation is for members to accept it. It cannot be understated just how important the massive ballot result and the clear will of our members to take industrial action has been to achieving this improved offer.

This proposal will mean members get two years of consolidated pay increases and a two year no compulsory redundancy guarantee. Considering at the start they stated members would have to sell off terms and conditions in order to get a pay rise and refused to guarantee no redundancies, it is clear the solidarity and determination of members has forced Network Rail to move their position massively. As a democratic union, members will have the final say on this offer and should begin receiving their papers early next week.

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash

General Secretary