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Publication Date: April 25 2007
On the eve of RMT's annual engineering grades conference in York, the union has called off a strike ballot after winning assurances from the engineering companies over the futures of more than 3,000 plant and renewals staff.
The dispute arose after Network Rail decided to reorganise plant contracts, and to reduce the number of renewals contracts from six to four.
Initially the contractors failed to provide the union with firm guarantees over job security or terms and conditions.
However, after being informed that RMT was in dispute, they quickly delivered the appropriate guarantees.
"We are now in receipt of guarantees from all of them that TUPE will apply wherever work is transferred from one company to another, and that the companies will enter into full consultation with RMT at the appropriate time," said RMT general secretary Bob Crow.
"This is a major improvement on the previous position of each of the companies, it guarantees that terms and conditions will be protected and job security is greatly enhanced.
"Of course, we still need to be vigilant. The decisions on the future of both plant and renewals contracts have yet to be made by Network Rail. RMT will continue to ensure that the companies keep to their agreements, and that workers receive the best possible protection.
"This is a great victory, but should jobs be threatened in any way then RMT will not hesitate to ballot for industrial action," Bob Crow said.
ends
Note for editors:
RMT is satisfied that the companies (Carillion, Balfour Beatty, Jarvis, GrantRail, First Engineering, Amey and Amec) have provided the following five guarantees:
