The Ticket Collector

RMT Dispute brewing at Northern Rail

RAIL WORKERS who take time off work after being assaulted or abused by passengers are having their pay docked by Northern Rail.

Barely a year after RMT told the company it had to make a bigger effort to combat violence against staff, the union has demanded that Northern Rail abandon a unilateral change in policy that has resulted in victims losing money if they need time off.

The problem came to light after a conductor who had been physically assaulted and threatened with a bottle was told that he would receive only his basic pay rather than average wages, because the latest in a string of attacks on him had not been serious enough.

It seems that Northern Rail are only interested in their shareholders and dont care about their own staff.

Bob Crow said “Until last October the company’s policy had been to pay average wages to all staff who needed time off after suffering violence or abuse from passengers, but the company now says it will only give full pay to victims who receive “severe physical injury”.
This is shocking and completely unacceptable, and the union will do whatever is necessary to get this shameful policy change reversed, It is nothing short of despicable when a loyal worker who has suffered a string of assaults is told that the latest attack wasn’t serious enough to warrant paying his full wages while he recovered and is then told that he may lose his job if he is assaulted again.
Only last April the company reassured our reps that staff who needed time off after serious verbal abuse would receive average pay. but they are now saying that staff will receive only their basic pay if an assault does not result in severe physical injury.
Northern say they have merely clarified the rules, but the reality is that they are clamping down on the victims of abuse rather than those who dish it out, and I have had calls from members who are absolutely furious about the company’s hypocrisy.
We thought we had finally got the company to take seriously our members’ concerns about the growing level of violence they face every day, but it seems once more that they are more worried about their profits than the welfare of their staff,”

Based on Press Release from RMT

Paul Yarwood - the RMT responds.

Dear Colleagues

MANAGEMENT NEGLECT OF STAFF SAFETY – ‘one’

Further to my correspondence in relation to the sacking of Paul Yarwood I can now advise you there have been developments in this matter which has led to the settlement of this dispute.

I am pleased to inform you that management has offered a settlement satisfactory to Brother Yarwood and following consultations, the General Grades Committee has decided to accept the offer. Therefore all further industrial action has been called off.

Additionally, management has agreed to widen the parameters of the Assaults Working Group comprised of elected local representatives to deal with all aspects of staff safety and security and to ensure that this is a priority.

We will be making plans to discuss these issues with all RMT local, Health & Safety and Company Council Representatives and will be asking them to contact their Constituents to find out specific problems prior to this meeting. Following this meeting there will be further discussions with the company.

I will of course keep Branches and members advised of all developments.

This is undoubtedly a great victory and an absolute object lesson in demonstrating what complete solidarity can achieve.

Paul Yarwood - an update.

This is somthing posted on another railway related website.

The guard has not been reinstated,he was offered £1000 and no job,this was rejected,he was offered £5000 and no job,this was also rejected,he then went to the RMT and told them he did’nt want his job back and he did’nt want any more action taken that would lose his fellow men/women money through strike action.

Many members at Colchester and Claction feel that the RMT have really stiched them up and bowed into corporate pressure. Lots of members have also resigned their membership of the RMT for failing to protect them and continue the pressure on ‘one’.

one Railway strike called off.

Two days of rail chaos in Norfolk have been averted after planned strikes by One workers were called off at the eleventh hour.

The industrial action was cancelled after a row over the sacking of a guard (paul Yarwood) was resolved, it was announced today.

Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) were due to walk out for 24 hours on Saturday and again on Monday in support of Paul Yarwood, who was dismissed from his job as a guard following an incident with a fare dodger.

The union said today there had been a settlement acceptable to both sides.

One had said that the strike would mean services from Norwich to Cambridge, Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Sheringham as well as Lowestoft to Ipswich would not operate.

The action was also were expected to disrupt Norwich to London intercity routes and services between Bury St. Edmunds and Lowestoft to London

‘one’ Railway to strike September 15th and 17th in support of sacked colleague - CALLED OFF

MORE THAN 800 RMT members across ‘One’ railway will strike for 24 hours on Saturday September 15 and again on Monday September 17 in support of a guard sacked following an incident with a violent and abusive fare evader, and against the company’s neglect of staff safety.

Relevant members will also refuse to sell advance tickets for the two strike dates from Thursday September 13.

More than I00 guards, revenue-protection inspectors and retail staff in north Essex have already taken two days of action in defence of Paul Yarwood, and their colleagues in all grades across the company last month voted by more than five to one to join the dispute.

“Our members across ‘One’ have shown their solidarity with Paul and their disgust at the company’s attitude to its own staff’s safety,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

“It is astonishing that the company still seems to have its head buried in the sand, not least because of the huge public support that Paul has had from members of the public.

“Our members will be leafletting passengers during the strike to explain that the company’s bizarre stance has left us no option but to strike again, this time right across the company.

“The size of the strike vote should have told ‘One’ everything they need to know about the effect their failure to support their staff is having on the people who have to face the daily danger of threats, abuse and assaults.

“I would like to thank all those who have already called on the company to re-instate Paul Yarwood, and would urge others to contact the company, or to let us have their comments so we can pass them on,” Bob Crow said. ends

Note to editors: In the ballot that closed late last month, RMT members voted by 300 to 59 to strike.

More than 100 guards based at Colchester and Clacton, revenue-protection inspectors based at Colchester and retail members between Chelmsford and Manningtree voted by 83 to one for action and struck on August 18 and 20.

Paul Yarwood, a guard with an exemplary record, was dismissed over an incident at Colchester North on June 7 involving an abusive fare evader who refused to stop smoking, assaulted a platform supervisor and threatened a passenger and other staff.