RMT member, West Midlands Trains
Guards at West Midlands Trains are to be balloted for strike action, and action short of a strike, over the company’s failure to offer any kind of pay enhancement for overtime or rest-day work.
Known by its ‘London Northwestern Railway’ or ‘West Midlands Railway’ brands, last autumn, the company granted its train drivers a significant uplift in pay rates for overtime. This reflects the value the company places on being able to squeeze every last drop out of the workforce, rather than investing in more staff to ensure all shifts are covered.
The company has so far failed to offer anything comparable to any other grades involved in operating the train service. And now the guards have had enough!
Resolutions have been passed at several branches of transport union RMT, condemning discrimination in rewarding one grade of staff over all others – highlighting that managers are frequently utilised to cover vacant guards shifts, being paid a premium rate for doing so.
Contrary to the company’s arguments, this fact alone proves that money is there to fund improvements to our rates of pay.
Similar improvements for guards and other staff have been won after RMT has balloted for action at Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, and, after taking several days of strike action, Avanti West Coast.
No worker should need to work on their rest day in order to make ends meet. The railway should recruit enough staff to operate the timetable, without having to rely on overtime.
There are principles at stake here. A driver’s time off work is just as precious as a guard’s, a cleaner’s, or a customer service assistant’s. If we don’t respond to this blatant act of pay discrimination seriously, the company will sense weakness, and more attacks will come in the future.
Ballot papers are being sent out on 16 May. Vote ‘yes’ for strike action, and action short of a strike, and return your ballot straightaway.
