National Industrial Organising Conference of Station and Associated Grades
20/21 April 2018
The Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35 London Road, Reading, RG1 4PS
AGENDA
CONFERENCE SECRETARY
ROSS MARSHALL
7 Alexandra Court
Victoria Close
Cheshunt
Hertfordshire
EN8 9EP
07932 576 955
2018 Conference Officers.
President Craig Pearson
Vice President Keith Miller
Secretary-Ross Marshall
Vice Secretary-Chris Riley
Auditor-Jenny Adams
AGS Steve Hedley
CofE- Eddie Dempsey.
Note. Bro Ray Williamson (Conference President) is unable to make the conference because of Paternity leave. Bro Craig Person (as vice president) will take the role of president and Bro Keith Miller was elected by the Liaison committee as Vice President for the duration of conference.
AGENDA.
The Agenda is approved by the executive committee, but order of business isat discretion of the president
1/Welcome by the President
2/Apologies.
3/Conference arrangements and reception report. Secretary
4/ Election of Harassment Officer.
5/Opening of Conference byMatt Rodda MP for Reading East (labour)
6/Address byBrendan Kelly, Regional Organiser
7/ Address by Mick Cash General Secretary
8/Address by Sean Hoyle, National President
9/Report by Assistant General Secretary Steve Hedley.
10/Executive Report by Eddie Dempsey, NEC member
11/Address by the RMT Credit Union
12/Finance report. Jenny Adams.
13/ 2019 Conference venue report . (FIFE)Ross Marshall
14/2020 Conference venue.
15/ 2018-2019 Elections and AGM motions
16/. Workshops.
Dave Marshall, Organising Unit - Membership mapping and recruitment
Janine booth, RMT Disability committee Chair . Cancer and Equality in the workplace
Martin Bendrey, London Underground Lead for suicide prevention on the railway. Martin will be giving a presentation on the national campaign to reduce suicides on the railway and the “small talk campaign “
17. Motions
- Save our Stations. Submitted by Reading Branch
This conference are aware of the actions of the TOC’s stations management not following the agreements reached between the RMT and themselves.
This has happened recently in GWR in Reading, but also at Paddington, Bristol and most other GWR Stations with staff being told to accept additional duties, to move from rostering agreements or just ignoring reps concerns when issues are brought to them. It seems that because the station grades do not have the same gravitas or industrial power like the guards or drivers, and because of this when issues are raised to the company at every level their concerns are ignored and then not followed up by the RMT in the same way as other grades are.
While we at Reading Branch have stated this is not the case, we feel there does need to be a major campaign launched soon to protect all grades on every stations network from being treated in this way, and to protect the roles and jobs before we end up with a “McNulty” styled stations set up with either no or just a few staff involved with the safe working of the railway.
Conference feels a relaunch of the Save our Stations campaign is required alongside a nationwide action of some nature (i.e. regional marches in major towns and cities in their area, or a national march).
This could be run in conjunction with other grades as well to highlight their own issues and fights.
This conference feels we need to act NOW before it is too late to do anything!
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
- Suicide prevention on stations Submitted and Central Line West Branch
This conference notes the joint LUL/Network rail/Samaritans camping to reduce suicides on the railway. This includes the Small Talk Programme.
This conference urges the national union to support this programme, and expand it to all companies and reps. This includes better support for staff post incident and more available staff to try and stop people committing suicide,
.
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
3Crossrail / The Elizabeth line. Submitted by Central Line West Branch
This conference notes the upcoming opening of the Elizabeth line this year . Whilst this union welcomes investment in new railways, we cant accept a lessoning of safety standards on effected stations.
Serious Concerns include
*Reduction in minimum numbers, including having 2 supervisory staff within the MIN numbers
*Lack of Elizabeth line staff
*Poor emergency procedures
*Lack of general available staff.
This conference urges the national union to fight for full , qualified , employed staff on Crossrail stations and robust emergency procedures , on the Crossrail stations including full station staffing at all running times. and fully qualified staff from all effected companies.
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
4.Single staffing of Gatelines.Submitted by Reading Branch
This Conference is concerned that there is a ongoing action by GWR (and other TOC’s) to reduce staffing levels on gatelines to a single staffing level either permanently or during certain hours of the day/night.
This is against agreements that this Union have with the company and is a continued attack on the grades throughout GWR (and we are sure on other companies as well). Reading Branch members are concerned over what these actions by GWR could lead to. Job losses? More physical and verbal assaults on staff? Additional workloads? Profit before safety?
The RMT need to support our members in this grade from these attacks and reject any reduction or single manning on gatelines now and in the future!
Protect the grade from being easy pickings for TOC’s and use any methods required to do so!
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
5. Revenue control Jobs. Submitted by Reading Branch
Concerns on Revenue Protection jobs being removed from TOC’s
Reading Branch are aware that there have recently been an offer of voluntary redundancy for Revenue Inspectors and Ticket Examiners in the East GWR area and that the union have been made aware and are advising our members accordingly. While we all understand that voluntary redundancy is exactly that, and a personal choice to leave any business, we feel it would be the correct time to inform all Branches and Regional council to report the actions of any company who try to reduce the staffing levels of any revenue department so we may be prepared for any attack upon the grades.
Conference feel an attack on one grade is an attack on all!
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
6.Movement of station staff, Merseyrail. Submitted by Central and North Mersey Branch
This conference expresses concerns and disgust that Merseyrail are moving static staff from stations they, in, our opinion are consider quieter to busier locations. .This is being done at no extra cost and the leaving of stations unstaffed is a serious health and safety risk to the travelling public. Static staff are not RDRs nor PGPRS and should not be treated as such
This conference urges the national union to , as a matter of urgency, raise this matter with the company to stop this practise . Its totally unfair to the staff and an accident waiting to happen for our travelling public.,
.
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
7.Rest day working and Overtime . Station staff. During DOO dispute days . Submitted by Central and North Mersey Branch
In relation to current and ongoing DOO disputes across the country . This conference urges all station staff in the relevant companies involved in the dispute not to work any overtime or rest days when any industrial action is taking place.
This will show solidarity with the guards and keep our trains safe .
.
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
8.Network Rail Managed Station Staff. Submitted byDeptford Branch
This conference is concerned at our low level of membership and organisation among these staff. We therefore call on our NEC and General Secretary to launch a recruiting and organising campaign among these staff.
This campaign should include providing information to relevant Regional Councils and branches on the terms and conditions of these staff, and their representation arrangements.
We recognise that these representation arrangements are part of the ongoing joint review of Network Rail’s Collective Bargaining Arrangements. And that Network Rail is committed to a detailed review of the terms and conditions of these staff once the Collective Bargaining review has concluded. We therefore realise that our Union leadership will have to choose the best time to launch a campaign, in the light of the ongoing discussions.
Moved bySeconded by
Votes For Votes Against Abstentions
______MOTIONS END ______
At the end of conference the president will offer various votes of thanks .