RMT signal workers in Scotland have been forced by intransigent Network Rail
(NR) bosses to take strike action after management callously continued their
refusal to implement new working time arrangements agreed last July!
The 48-hour stoppage began yesterday (March 7th) and will end at midday on
Friday (March 9th) and union officials described the strike as "absolutely
rock solid".
Last July, following protracted negotiations, NR agreed to the union demand
for a 35 hour week for signallers throughout Britain and the new policy was
implemented in England and Wales, yet NR bosses in Scotland have stubbornly
refused to acknowledge their responsibilities.
Instead of honouring the agreement, or devoting their time and energy to
resolving the dispute, NR management brought staff from as far away as Kent
to man the signal boxes as they desperately tried to maintain some services.
This tactic is highly dangerous. Signallers require local knowledge of the
area to ensure safe practice and the union claim that some of those scabbing
have had "only a few hours training". Without local knowledge it is clear
that safety is being compromised by the madness of NR managers. With the
latest fatal train crash at Grayrigg, Cumbria, still fresh in the public's
mind, passengers and indeed the wider public should be horrified that NR are
prepared to jeopardise the safety of everyone. The solution is quite simple
– Honour the agreement of last July!
Now, the Executive of the union are set to ballot members across Britain
unless NR management in Scotland begin sensible negotiations.
