7 December 2016
RMT Press Office:
RAIL UNION RMT has congratulated its members and representatives for successfully defending the union’s position on no compulsory redundancies for cleaners on Virgin West Coast working for Voith Industrial Services (Alstom Contract) and also cancelled a proposed ballot for industrial action.
In the complex world of contractors and sub-contractors on Britain’s privatised railways the cleaning services are contracted out by Virgin to Alstom as part of a facilities contract and Alstom have then, in turn, subbed out the cleaning to Voith Industrial Services.
RMT had gone into dispute with Voith over the company’s plans to re-organise staffing levels on the Alstom contract, which would have potentially cut 15% of the overall workforce. The proposed cuts would have hit both on-board cleaners and those who clean and prepare the trains on turn-around at main rail stations.
After negotiations the company announced that through natural wastage there will be no redundancies of any sort. This is a great victory for members affected and the wider union.
The matter has been subject to recent consideration by the union’s National Executive Committee who notes that initially Voith sought to reduce the head count by 43 positions which the RMT vehemently opposed and that management has recently announced that there will be no redundancies.
Therefore, RMT have notified the company that the union accepts the revised position and that the ballot for industrial action of all our Voith (West Coast) Cleaner members is cancelled.
Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary said:
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our members for supporting the union and thank our Senior Union Representatives for their resolve and determination to defend our member’s jobs.
“ The Virgin outfit can well afford to pay decent wages and need to be held responsible for the exploitation and abuse of support staff that is now rife on their services.”
Ends.
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Tagged with: virgin west coast, virgin, alstom, voith, cleaners, victory
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