NETWORK RAIL – INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL (IRP) FEEDBACK & CHANGES

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular NP/029/25

25^th January 2025

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague

 

NETWORK RAIL – INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL (IRP) FEEDBACK & CHANGES

 

            IRPs have morphed from being just Route IRPs to now being Region IRPs; consequently, there are many investigations to go through. This is not good for the members involved and the extended delays to process that it causes.

 

Further, RMT has a membership many times greater than TSSA and so unfortunately this means the probability of our members being involved in incidents and thus reports is very much greater than the TSSA. Also, RMT has sole recognition for signallers and a majority of incidents involve signaller duties/ actions, such as T3s, blocks etc. We therefore believe there should be two RMT reps on the IRPs, one from Ops and one from Maintenance, in order for their specialist knowledge to fully support the company and process.

 

At its meeting on 13^th February your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its health and safety subcommittee:

 

We note the correspondence from our lead rep for which he is thanked.

 

The General Secretary is instructed to write to the company requesting two RMT reps on the IRPs, one from Ops and one from Maintenance.

 

Branches and regional councils to be informed.

 

I am acting in line with these instructions. 

            

Please bring this circular to the attention of relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary