Strategy needed to convince

Submitted by Anon on 17 June, 2004 - 5:02

By a rail worker

A ballot of 7,000 Network Rail workers by the RMT union has gone in favour of industrial action.
The result was 58% in favour (2,947) and 42% against (2,246). However, the RMT was forced to admit that only a very narrow majority of the signalling workers - they key section involved - voted for action.

After the ballot result, Network Rail and the press immediately went on the offensive about the prospect of "massive disruption", etc.

Having been adamant, and rightly so, that the result was a mandate for the action, the union has started talks with the employers and it must be feared that industrial action has been put very much on the back burner. Talks will start on Friday 28 May.

The dispute is over the closure of the final salary pension scheme for newcomers, pay and travel facilities.

Clearly there will be a feeling among some local reps that, though members will come out, they may not be able to sustain the action. That situation would change with a little fighting strategy from the union. Members have not even been told what kind of action would take place.

It is difficult to see how, on the issue of pensions at least, there is any room for talks or compromise. Either we get back our pension scheme or we don't.

If the talks collapse in a month or two months time it will be too late to call out our members. It would be a waste if we had to reballot our members.

Some signal workers do feel some disquiet about action - and very many of them were those workers who did not vote. Many of the workers who were out 10 years ago are still at work. They remember being in dispute for 10 years. They remember not getting the result they wanted. Again, members need to be convinced that there is a strategy to win this dispute.

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