ABUSE OF DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE, BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET — NETWORK RAIL

Our Ref: BR6/4/4

 

12^th March 2024

 

Dear RMT Member,

 

ABUSE OF DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE, BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET — NETWORK RAIL

 

You will be aware that your Union has raised concerns regarding the treatment that CSA members at Birmingham New Street Station have experienced due to Network Rail management’s heavy-handed approach to the application of disciplinary procedures. 

 

However, due to the extremely restrictive trade union laws, the previous ballot failed to meet the necessary minimum thresholds of members voting in the ballot and voting ‘YES’ for industrial action. Therefore, the National Executive Committee has considered this matter and taken the decision to conduct a re-ballot for Customer Service Assistants in order to provide members with a mandate for industrial action in order to resolve this matter. 

 

I am urging you and your colleagues to vote ‘YES’ for strike action and ‘YES’ for action short of a strike and demonstrate that you are willing to defend yourselves and your colleagues from the unnecessarily harsh application of disciplinary procedures, as well as to demand that Network Rail immediately reinstate these members.

 

The relevant ballot notice has been served on the employer in line with current legislation, the ballot papers will be dispatched by the independent scrutineer next Tuesday 19^th March, and will be arriving at your home address after this date.

 

The Ballot closes after First Post on Tuesday 9^th April 2024.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE ON BALLOT THRESHOLDS

 

Since the Trade Union Act 2016, where the government made the anti-trade union laws even more restrictive, all ballots have to reach two important thresholds in order for them to be valid. 

• At least 50% of all eligible members must vote 
• At least 40% of all those eligible to vote must vote Yes. 

 

As a result of these draconian restrictions every single vote counts. A simple majority is no longer enough so you cannot rely on other colleagues to get the vote over the line. Therefore, I urge you to complete and return your voting paper as soon as you receive it

 

If you have not received your voting paper by Monday 25^th March 2024, please email info@rmt.org.uk or call the freephone helpline on 0800 376 3706 to request a replacement. The ballot closes after First Post on Tuesday 9^th April 2024.

 

 

VOTE ‘YES’ FOR STRIKE ACTION

VOTE ‘YES’ FOR INDUSTRIAL ACTION SHORT OF STRIKE 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary