Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2024 - Carlisle Support Services (Northern Trains Revenue and Gateline Contract)

Our Ref: BR1/0001/CSS(NTL)

12^th January 2024

 

Dear Colleagues 

 

Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2024 - Carlisle Support Services (Northern Trains Revenue and Gateline Contract)

 

Referring to previous correspondence, in which I advised you that pay talks with Carlisle Support Services had broken down. I also reported that thew RMT had written to both Carlisle Support Services and Northern Trains Ltd requesting further meaningful discussions to try and resolve all the issues on the Revenue and Gateline contract. 

 

It is clear that Carlisle Support Services have no interest in resolving any of the issues on this contract. Your union is supporting multiple members with individual and collective grievances in relation to the application of the "time gate" and the holiday accrual calculation. Many members have been losing large amounts of their annual leave with some losing as many as 15 days; despite being able to demonstrate they have managed their holiday entitlement evenly over the 12-month period. I can also report that Northern Trains has washed their hands of this matter and has refused to engage with the RMT over these issues. 

 

Having considered this matter, the union’s National Executive Committee has decided to ballot all RMT Carlisle Support Services members on the Northern Trains Revenue and Gateline contract for industrial action. Consequently, I have advised the company that a dispute situation now exists between our two organisations and the issues which we believe must be resolved are as follows:

 

1. A significant pay increase for 2023 must be tabled that reflects current inflation and addresses the cost-of-living crisis.
2. Reform of the application of the "time gate" system to bring an end to members losing their hard-earned annual leave.
3. All contracts of employment to reflect the normal rostered hours. No more 336 hours per year contracts for non-casual employees.

 

The RMT will remain in dispute with Carlisle Support Services until all of the above issues are resolved to our satisfaction. Ballot papers will be despatched to your home address by the independent scrutineer on Friday 19^th January 2024. I urge you to complete and return your ballot paper in the freepost envelope provided as soon as you receive it. 

 

In the ballot you will be asked to vote for both strike action and industrial action short of a strike – I urge you to vote ‘YES’ to both.

 

MAKE SURE YOU USE YOUR VOTE

 

If you do not receive your voting paper, or know of a colleague who has not received it, please call the freephone helpline on 0800 376 3706, RMT Head Office on 0207 387 4771 or e-mail to request a replacement.

 

 

VOTE ‘YES’ FOR STRIKE ACTION AND 

VOTE ‘YES’ FOR INDUSTRIAL ACTION SHORT OF A STRIKE

 

Yours sincerely

Michael Lynch

General Secretary