What’s been happening lately on MATS?

Admin Grade Review (AGR)

After the presentation at The Museum in Covent Garden you were told by management the next step would be to present the AGR, as it stood where we agreed and disagreed, to Company Council. The main sticking point was the ‘cost of living’ pay freeze for those not matching their skills to where they were on the pay scale. Bob Thorogood said that only a few would be affected I contested this by replying ‘if that’s the case withdraw this and we can move on with the review’. Unfortunately, they refused to do so and Company Council sent it back to the sub-committee for further discussion. That was on the 16/12/08 and we are still waiting for a date to meet up until now 31/01/09

Do you remember Time to Talk? Obviously they don’t!!!!!!

Duty Manager Shorter Working Week

With the shorter working week the 12 weeks for the imposed temporary rosters is long gone. We are still working these rosters. Many DSMs have rejected the rosters, due to extra Sundays and the less family friendly nature of the management’s rosters. We are waiting for a date (again) to present the new rosters, drawn up by the DSM’s, as per ‘The Heads of Agreement’ to MATS. The whole of the Central line and the Piccadilly line along with other groups have rejected and re-submit their own rosters for MATS. If anyone else would like to do this please forward them to me and I will forward them onto the Staffside Secretary on MATS.

The Operational Managers Review

Well, here’s another one with the same sticking point as the AGR on the ‘cost of living’ pay freeze. This would affect managers who are higher up the pay scale but whose Centurian thinks they do not meet the criteria for that pay area on the skills framework/box they are in. So sit up and listen! We as the RMT will not accept this and I believe the whole of the MATS functional council are in agreement. Also we have been told the raise in salary (if any) won’t happen until April 2010 after its implementation in April 2009. Something else we as a union will fight.

Management do not want to include operational trainers in this review. Operational Trainers are a Q grade and this is the Q grade review and as far as the RMT is concerned, Operational Trainers should be included in the OMR. The Power Control & Track Access Control are part of the OMR so why aren’t the Operational Trainers?

PCR & TAC are getting the opportunity to have input into their framework skills and rosters which will be part of the OMR / Grade Progression.

Station grades received the 15 bank rest days 3 years prior to operational managers. Service Control received an increment payment prior to their review being agreed. Why have Operational Managers been treated differently in these matters. Its time MATs grades realised management are eroding their conditions and stand together in this all grades union who fight for fair play. Senior management have been stalling these discussions for too long the only beneficiaries are senior management and it is the RMT who will fight for your rights, pay and conditions.

You have a choice here: get behind your union and fight for your rights. You are no longer treated like management, it’s time to stand with all the other grades and stop being used as a whipping tool. Know your place, it’s with the RMT not those that want to erode your conditions.

Roy Carey MATS RMT