Admin CDI Note Taking
On Tuesday May 14th the Reps attended a MATS Functional Council meeting. The RMT was the union that put this on the agenda. At the meeting we were able to highlight the pressing issues around CDI note taking. The Reps pointed out how Admin were being told they had to take part in the pilot scheme and we insisted that this was voluntary and was not part of your role or job description.

We (RMT) also pointed out how on the H&C Line, the Performance Manager had written to admin to tell them they would have to note take for their centurion if he / she was on a CDI panel. Management accepted this was wrong and they would speak to the H&C line PM. We also pointed out that it was voluntary and the company could not use the ‘flexible’ word from within your contract to browbeat you into doing this.

The company said they have the numbers for this so called pilot but if you take away those who have been forced into this we may see they in fact are short of volunteers. We accept you take notes / minutes at local meetings but certainly not at disciplinaries which could see someone being dismissed. We pointed out that with the failure to come to an agreement on the Admin Grade Review where we believe the company were trying to get you to go the extra mile for no reward they are now having another go.

You must remember how you were treated when it came to the Olympic Bonus, like second class citizens, while your colleagues in operations got superior bonuses, again something the RMT are still pursuing on behalf of Admin. The RMT is an all grade union, this is clearly evident of that, join the union that really fights for the Admin grades.

HR said they would issue a communication within the next two weeks to clear the matter up but refused to let this union see it before being issued. So if it is not what we asked for the fight will go on.

Duty Manager Grade Progression
Just an update on the letters that went out regarding ‘Pay Freezes’ previously received by a number of Duty Managers. Please be aware that these letters have been withdrawn and new letters have been re-issued which retracts the pay freeze for those who have not gained from grade progression. (Just about everybody) The letters have been sent to your Centurion to issue so if you have not received yours yet, then chase it up with your Centurion and if still no joy, contact your MATS Rep: Roy Carey or Colin Millar.

The Demise of the TAC
At the last MATS Functional Council meeting Tues May 14th we were presented with a document which is clearly the start of the demise of the TAC grade. We were told this is about working towards the Network Rail model, something which is not as safe as the LU way of working. This document was concentrating on cost effectiveness, and so called customer benefits.

The TAC role is tantamount to safety during engineering hours, were we not only rely on the TAC to ensure the safe protection of staff and contractors but have previously audited the competence of staff and contractors booking out the track.

When the MATS rep put it that this is about saving money and cutting jobs he denied that is what this exercise is about cost cutting, even though we have received information that this is a saving of about £40m per year. Now where will these savings be made, yes as ever in the loss of jobs, TAC jobs. It will also mean extra work for Service Controllers and the PCR as well as what we believe will be the introduction of unsafe practices. This is a fight which is about to start which will incorporate all grades involved in these changes. We in the RMT will be organising for this in the coming months.