Media centre

Monday 12 May 2008

NETWORK RAIL RESPONDS TO RMT BALLOT NEWS

Region & Route:

National

Network Rail today reacted to the news from the RMT that it was balloting for industrial action over pay for its signallers and other supervisory, clerical and support members as well as other issues in relation to maintenance workers.

Peter Bennett, Director of Human Resources, said: "We understand that our people are concerned about their cost of living. That is why a fair and reasonable offer is on the table for our signallers (4.8% increase this year and RPI + 0.5% next year) one that people in any walk of life would recognise as a good deal and one that other unions have already accepted as fair. But the RMT want even more. Their demands are unreasonable.

"We are talking with the unions about standardising over 50 sets of terms and conditions that were inherited several years ago when maintenance was brought back in-house. This work continues and no agreement over the proposed new ones has been reached, so maintenance workers have nothing to strike against at this time, and we urge the RMT to come back to the table to continue to negotiate.

"We would ask all our employees to consider carefully the issues on the table. On the one hand we have a very fair offer that compares very favourably with wage settlements across the country, and on the other there is nothing on the table on which to protest or strike about. We'd ask employees to use their vote to turn away from damaging industrial action."