BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, SALES & SERVICE AMBASSADOR GRADES – HEATHROW EXPRESS

To All HEX Sales & Service Ambassador Grade RMT Members

 

Our Ref: BR2/14/2

 

24^th May 2024

 

 

Dear Colleague

 

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, SALES & SERVICE AMBASSADOR GRADES – HEATHROW EXPRESS

 

I have received the following resolution from our Heathrow Express Branch with regards to the above matter:

 

“There are a number of serious concerns raised from the Sales and Service Ambassadors Grade at Heathrow Express in a emergency meeting with Heathrow Express Representatives on the 20/05/2024.

 

Serious Concern 1 Day /Shift Swaps

      

Staff are being denied Day/Shift Swaps where the Heathrow Express Management are deliberately violating the Day/Shift Swap Agreement Policy with the RMT Union. The Management have imposed restricting shift swaps to 4 weeks maximum period unilaterally. This is not only a violation of the agreement and also a failure of Management to follow the correct protocol as laid out in the Collective Bargaining Process.

 

Serious Concern 2 Sales Pitching

      

There are serious concerns from our Sales and Service Ambassadors Team (SSA). The introduction of Pitching and Sales Performance Targets is being imposed which are resembling in nature of the previous roles of Mobile Sales Advisors which have been made Redundant. Pitching is not part of the Sales and Service Ambassadors Role its shouting out for tickets. This is placing considerable stress on these members wo have been targeted and warned and there is a widespread fear that those who do not perform well according to management will be pushed out of the Business.

 

Serious Concern 3 Uber Misuse

      

There are also serious concerns from the sales Service Ambassadors Team being treated unfairly and targeted over misuse of Uber where Union Members have been dismissed and non-members and personal friends of Management on similar abuse charges have been kept on without any consequences.

 

Heathrow Express Branch urgently requests the NEC to instruct the General Secretary to write to Heathrow Express outlining the above concerns. The Branch also requests NEC to instruct the General Secretary to instruct the Lead Officer to arrange a meeting at the earliest opportunity to address these concerns and look for a resolution and to report back the findings.”

 

In addition to the above, I have also received a report from the Lead Officer, indicating that the items mentioned in the resolution were raised at local level and that our Reps are awaiting the Minutes. 

 

The matter has been considered by the union’s National Executive Committee who notes the significant concerns outlined in the resolution and I have been instructed to inform our Representatives to escalate all these concerns through the Machinery of Negotiation. The Executive Committee has requested for updates to be placed back before them for further consideration.

 

I trust this keeps you fully advised on the matter and I will, of course, update you on any further developments, as and when they arise.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary