RMT preparing for Industrial action ballot at GWR

[father_jack]

CHANGES TO TICKET OFFICES – GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY


27th February 2025

Dear RMT Member,


CHANGES TO TICKET OFFICES – GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY


A formal document has been received from Great Western Railway (GWR) management outlining the company’s approach to station operations. While some points align with previous decisions made by the Union’s National Executive Committee (NEC), several proposed changes require urgent attention.


After reviewing the company’s proposals and the report from your Lead Officer, the NEC has directed me to launch a recruitment campaign within GWR to strengthen industrial support. This action is necessary given the company’s failure to properly consult and negotiate with your Union. If you know a colleague who is not yet a member of the RMT, please encourage them to join by clicking HERE, calling 020 7387 4771, or using our Freephone number 0800 376 3706 and asking to speak to our membership department.


In addition, the NEC has instructed me to prepare a ballot matrix for all Station Grade members within GWR.

The industrial ballot will be in response to:

•The proposed changes to Ticket Offices
•The unilateral ‘watering down’ of safety-critical duties of dispatch staff
•Concerns regarding single staffing of gate lines. If your job title, address, or workplace has changed recently, it is essential that you update your details.

Emailing: info@rmt.org.uk

Calling the RMT Freephone Helpline at 0800 376 3706

Contacting the RMT switchboard at 0207 387 4771 and asking for the Industrial Relations Department.

If you know a colleague who has moved or changed jobs, please inform them to contact the Union using one of the above methods so we can update their records accordingly.

Frustratingly, GWR is using current legal loopholes under minimum service legislation to bypass public consultation. As a result, the NEC has also instructed me to escalate our campaign by raising awareness among RMT members, the public, disability rights groups, and other vulnerable campaigning groups about the detrimental impact of these changes. This effort will build on the Union’s powerful ‘Save Our Stations’ initiative. Additionally, the Union is considering a coordinated national campaign to challenge similar threats across the railway network.

I trust this keeps you advised, and I will continue to keep members updated on this situation.

Yours sincerely

Michael Lynch

General Secretary

News out today. Not good at all but it seems like there are people in the industry who aren't accepting of the previous strike resolution.

 

[The exile]

Isn’t this a year old - says 2024!

 

[father_jack]

Isn’t this a year old - says 2024!

Came out today, doh.

 

[ainsworth74]

Sorry so is this a current dispute or one from a year ago that's now been overtaken by events?

 

[father_jack]

Sorry so is this a current dispute or one from a year ago that's now been overtaken by events?

It will be a new one.

 

[Grant9226]

Anyone had an email or text to confirm this yet?

 

[father_jack]

Anyone had an email or text to confirm this yet?

Yes, both

 

[WAB]

This was always inevitable. Most TOCs only moved their plans to the back burner - I understand that the work has continued in the background in some places.

The unions will likely find this a harder fight than the more concentrated centrally organised programme, as keeping up the pressure and public support over different areas and a long period is challenging. Station roles are easier to cover in the event of industrial action with the management and clerical grades.

 

[Bald Rick]

This was always inevitable. Most TOCs only moved their plans to the back burner

Well, quite. Scotrail are implementing their changes to ticket office staffing next week!

 

[styles]

Well, quite. Scotrail are implementing their changes to ticket office staffing next week!

Getting a fair bit of flack for it on social media as well, particularly those who buy regional concessionary travel tickets which can only be purchased from ticket offices (or on-board).

 

[185]

This was always inevitable. Most TOCs only moved their plans to the back burner

Surely the TOCs don't have any say in this... surely the DfT call the shots now for stuff like this, so who's to blame - is it the DfT's instructions, or are FirstGroup financially clearing up and acting (albeit badly) within the bounds of their contract?

 

[WAB]

Getting a fair bit of flack for it on social media as well, particularly those who buy regional concessionary travel tickets which can only be purchased from ticket offices (or on-board).

Then does it matter, as now they’ll be able to get straight on a train without queuing?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Feb 2025 ==

Surely the TOCs don't have any say in this... surely the DfT call the shots now for stuff like this, so who's to blame - is it the DfT's instructions, or are FirstGroup financially clearing up and acting (albeit badly) within the bounds of their contract?

They’ll have been asked to make savings, and ticket offices will have been indicated as in scope. At some TOCs at least, they have some freedom to choose just how they want to implement this.

 

[fishwomp]

News out today. Not good at all but it seems like there are people in the industry who aren't accepting of the previous strike resolution.

So far no-one's shared what the proposals are on here. If there is a new proposal, given how much time has passed, RMT need to ballot. I didn't think there was any agreement 2 years ago on station staff: I thought the "previous resolution" was a politician's cancellation, not a union to railway settlement and agreement. New government, old problems..

 

[father_jack]

So far no-one's shared what the proposals are on here. If there is a new proposal, given how much time has passed, RMT need to ballot. I didn't think there was any agreement 2 years ago on station staff: I thought the "previous resolution" was a politician's cancellation, not a union to railway settlement and agreement. New government, old problems..

More here from Friday just gone.

7th March 2025

Dear RMT Member

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, STATION GRADES - GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY

As you may be aware RMT went into dispute with the company regarding Rest Day Work rates of pay, Sunday rates of pay, and back pay to achieve parity with Driving grades who were given enhanced Sunday and Rest Day Work payments in 2024. The company has an agreement with the Unions to treat all grades equally, which it was in breach of, both with Joint Stations Divisional Council and On Trains Divisional Council.

This dispute arose as the company appeared to be dragging their feet over obtaining a Department for Transport mandate to negotiate and JSDC ran out of patience.

Station staff have been treated as poor relations to other grades for far too long.

GWR obtained a mandate in January and talks commenced; but the company brought forward plans similar to their Workplace Reform proposals which they wished to negotiate alongside the dispute issue. This included, under the banner of a '7 Day Railway', proposals that would mean significant changes to every member's Terms & Conditions, and see Sundays brought into the working week. There has been no mention of any significant compensation for our members in exchange for these huge concessions.

JSDC insisted that the company settle the outstanding dispute before any further negotiations took place, and the company returned to the DfT for a mandate to do so. They returned with an offer which failed to even address the back pay issue, and only offered Safety Critical staff a Sunday enhancement, leaving Ticket Office staff, non-safety critical platform staff, TSSO staff, and Gateline staff offered nothing at all for Sunday working, and all Station Grades offered no enhancements for RDWK at all.

This in no way offered parity with the Driver's deal; it was a derisory offer that denigrates the vital work Station staff do, and was completely unacceptable to your Staff side representatives; we were unanimous in this. JSDC turned down the offer and the talks collapsed. We have expressed our willingness to talk to the company, but until the material dispute is settled, this is not possible.

It now appears that the company intends to press ahead with its desired reforms to current working practices without agreement from your representatives, and without first settling the current dispute.

JSDC remains open to continuing discussions with the company to find a way forward but we will not be bullied into accepting a settlement that does not respect the efforts our members make on behalf of the company, day in day out, in all weathers, on the frontline, delivering the best service we can.

Yours sincerely,

Eddie Dempsey
General Secretary

 

[fishwomp]

More here from Friday just gone. [letter with outline of situation]

Thank you.

 

[dutchbedford]

The only ticket office closure that is being discussed is Castle Bar Park….which hasn’t been staffed since Covid(?). 99% of ticket sales online/on mobile phones.

 

[Kite159]

The only ticket office closure that is being discussed is Castle Bar Park….which hasn’t been staffed since Covid(?). 99% of ticket sales online/on mobile phones.

Although for Castle Bar Park as it's within the oyster/CPAY area the percentage of actual tickets would be minimal compared to the numbers touching in/out (especially now West Ealing got barriered)