BREACHES OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT – GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY

Our Ref: BR2/14/2

18^th September 2025

Dear RMT Member,

BREACHES OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT – GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY

The company has recently made it known that they wish to change a long-standing agreement in relation to payments for training. The Lead Officer has since reported that your On Trains Divisional Council has registered a ‘Fail to Agree’ with the company over this matter.

There has also been a clear breach to the collective bargaining agreement and in relation to procedural agreements. The current procedural agreements requires that an Avoidance of Disputes meeting takes place within 14 days, GWR has proposed to meet 3^rd October, this is 42 days after the notification, representing a clear and unacceptable breach.

The Union’s National Executive Committee has considered the matter and has noted this unacceptable situation. The NEC has also noted that this behaviour reflects a wider pattern of GWR undermining agreements, including over stood-off arrangements, annual leave, misuse of MFA procedures, training day payments and the imposition of rosters. 

Therefore, I am currently writing to the company to demand that they abide by our existing agreements and practices.

Should the company continue to frustrate our procedures and fail to meet, I have been instructed by the Union’s NEC to escalate this matter in line with Union policy, including preparation for dispute.

I will continue to keep you update on this matter.

Yours sincerely

Eddie Dempsey

General Secretary