RMT dispute on Merseyrail

[Bellbell]

Ah right.....so overall then as the industry grows, numbers of employees will increase anyway despite the fact that some jobs will look different than they do today? I myself would certainly apply for a 3 years fixed term guards role if I wasnt already inside ...I would look at it as giving me plenty of time to adapt for a future role.

At my TOC you have to do 2 years productive work (i.e. post training) before you can apply for other operational roles, I don't know about admin etc. It would be pretty tight to join, train, do 2 years and then hope a vacancy would come up, and you would be successful for that vacancy in the remaining 9 or so months.

 

[M28361M]

Talks will be held on Monday 20 March between Merseyrail and RMT.

The RMT has accepted Merseyrail’s offer to attend talks, and a meeting has been set for 20 March 2017. The purpose of the session is to bring to an end the current dispute with guards over working practices on the new trains ordered for the Merseyrail network.

We have asked the RMT to discuss the following with us:

• Roles, responsibilities and safety training of the new team of on-board staff, to be introduced
• Securing the right outcome for guards as individuals under the new fleet

Source: http://www.merseyrail.org/news/rmt-accepts-merseyrails-offer-of-talks.aspx

 

[HH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhRQ8hwsLEc

Apology for the strike.

 

[Mag_seven]

Talks will be held on Monday 20 March between Merseyrail and RMT.



Source: http://www.merseyrail.org/news/rmt-accepts-merseyrails-offer-of-talks.aspx

Talks have broken down.

 

[Onedirection]

God help Aintree!!!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

God help Aintree!!!!

Are they planning a strike on race day? If so that is pretty low aiming it at people who aren't even local and have nothing to do with the situation. Such a move would be very likely to turn people against them rather than at present where there seems to be not insignificant support (well, anti-DOO feeling) locally at present.

 

[danbarnstall]

Are they planning a strike on race day? If so that is pretty low aiming it at people who aren't even local and have nothing to do with the situation. Such a move would be very likely to turn people against them rather than at present where there seems to be not insignificant support (well, anti-DOO feeling) locally at present.

Not sure about that. Local commuters who use the service every day would much rather a strike impact out of towners on a Saturday. How do I know? Well I am a commuter and have heard numerous conversations during my commute over the last few days along the lines of 'If they do the Saturday I'm not bothered'.

Maximum impact and publicity without upsetting the locals seems like a perfect storm to me.

 

[Carlisle]

Talks have broken down.

It would be far better for all concerned if RMT was a bit more realistic with its members at least privately about what sort of deal they can actually achieve on northern and Merseyrail given all sides must be aware by now that a Scotrail style climb down is probably not on the cards in either of these disputes

 

[AlterEgo]

God help Aintree!!!!

Thank you very much for the Aintree strike, thank you very much, thank you very very very much!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Thank you very much for the Aintree strike, thank you very much, thank you very very very much!

Memories

 

[danbarnstall]

Shouldnt the RMT be a bit more realistic with its members at least privately about what sort of deal they can actually achieve on northern and Merseyrail given that a Scotrail style climb down is probably not on the cards in either of these disputes

Yes without doubt. Would Merseyrail members accept what Southern have offered?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes without doubt. Would Merseyrail members accept what Southern have offered?

OBS would be a waste of money and are not needed.

 

[Carlisle]

Yes without doubt. Would Merseyrail members accept what Southern have offered?

As an mainly inner suburban operation with mostly staffed stations a fairly short distance apart , I'd have thought the redeployment strategy will be totally different to Southern's OBS i with more displaced staff transferring to stations

 

[Bromley boy]

OBS would be a waste of money and are not needed.

Interestingly documentation on the Merseyrail website regarding the new trains specifically mentions onboard staff, in addition to drivers. So it appears some kind of OBS type role is being considered, at least for certain services at certain times.

https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/about-us/Documents/Did%20you%20know%20top%20fives%20vs6.pdf

"4. DCO doesn’t mean there is only one person on the train; we’re keeping a second member of staff, based in the train saloon, at key locations and times. Other DCO networks don’t offer this."

What are peoples' thoughts on the following statement from the same document? It seems a bit of a leap:

"3. DCO is the way we can most effectively meet safety recommendations for the Merseyrail Network following a fatality at James St in 2011."

Apologies if this has already been discussed earlier in the thread.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They are looking at more targetted use of on board staff, not a generic OBS approach. There will certainly not be a second member of staff on every train. If there is, they might as well be a guard.

 

[northwichcat]

The additional staff will be security staff on services where they think problems are mostly likely to occur e.g. late services.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

They are looking at more targetted use of on board staff, not a generic OBS approach. There will certainly not be a second member of staff on every train. If there is, they might as well be a guard.

I think they quoted 60 roving customer service staff.
Plus station upgrades to assist DOO operation, as well as the features on the new trains.
None of this applies until the new trains come in (2019/20).

 

[455driver]

The additional staff will be security staff on services where they think problems are mostly likely to occur e.g. late services.

Where does it say that?

I have seen it stated there will be 60 (or is it 80) roving Customer service staff (read that as RPIs) but not that they are security staff.

 

[gavin]

Merseyrail to strike on April 8th (Grand national day)

 

[Mintona]

Strike called on day of Grand National. That'll go down well.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wonder will Arriva or Stagecoach see the opportunity to be a knight in shining armour (and make some cash) by running a good dedicated Liverpool/Ormskirk[1] to Aintree bus service?

[1] Surprisingly many people travel via Preston, though the existing 311 may cope with a 153-load.

 

[Bookd]

Having read various threads on the subject I think that I can see the RMT point of view, but what on earth do they think they will achieve by disrupting the major event of the year when the trains have one even been built yet? What happened to the theory of strikes being a last resort?

 

[northwichcat]

Merseyrail to strike on April 8th (Grand national day)

As well as a Northern strike. The Southern strike has also been postponed until 8 April.

 

[Mintona]

It's brilliant really. Best thing they can do.

 

[northwichcat]

I wonder will Arriva or Stagecoach see the opportunity to be a knight in shining armour (and make some cash) by running a good dedicated Liverpool/Ormskirk[1] to Aintree bus service?

[1] Surprisingly many people travel via Preston, though the existing 311 may cope with a 153-load.

I wonder if part of the thinking is coach hire companies will have all their coaches and drivers booked to do work meaning they can't take on rail replacement work. I imagine NX and Megabus will be running duplicate services.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Strike called on day of Grand National. That'll go down well.

I wonder what the media will make of this as an opportunity to get as much "news" out of it.

Liverpool is a bastion of the Labour Party and Joe Anderson is always trying to raise the profile of the city, so having the racing "Jewel in the Crown" affected transport-wise to a horse racing event which is known world-wide will cause him some angst. I wonder if he will make a media statement?

 

[Carlisle]

What happened to the theory of strikes being a last resort?

The Scotrail deal is the simple answer and SWT before then , it proved strikes can work, TOCs don't want their brand tarnished for bad industrial relations, making it extremely tempting to back down, all sides are well aware of this

 

[Bletchleyite]

The Scotrail deal is the simple answer and SWT before then , it proved strikes can work, TOCs don't want their brand tarnished for bad industrial relations, making it extremely tempting to back down, all sides are well aware of this

They can't back down. Northern would be in breach of their franchise agreement if they did, while Merseyrail's financial case for new rolling stock would be destroyed.

I predict this one will be long and painful but the TOCs will win and the guards will lose - with far less accommodation than they would get if it was just accepted.

 

[Moonshot]

They can't back down. Northern would be in breach of their franchise agreement if they did, while Merseyrail's financial case for new rolling stock would be destroyed.

I predict this one will be long and painful but the TOCs will win and the guards will lose - with far less accommodation than they would get if it was just accepted.

A good number of guards are of that opinion as well.

 

[Gareth]

I wonder what the media will make of this as an opportunity to get as much "news" out of it.

Liverpool is a bastion of the Labour Party and Joe Anderson is always trying to raise the profile of the city, so having the racing "Jewel in the Crown" affected transport-wise to a horse racing event which is known world-wide will cause him some angst. I wonder if he will make a media statement?

Liverpool's status as a 'bastion' of the Labour Party is somewhat flakey, to say the least. The city had a Lib Dem administration for some 12 years up to 2010 and various periods of Liberal and minority government in the years prior. Manchester over the same period, on the other hand - red all the way.

It'll be interesting how the people will react. In one sense, many will be relieved it's on a day they're not working. On the other, hand the ensuing chaos won't be a great advert for the city's guests that day.