RMT union organiser, John Watson, talks about latest strike action

RMT Midlands Regional Organiser, John Watson, has talked about what Avanti strikers hope to achieve in their latest day of action.

Transcript

00:00I'm John Watson, the RMT Midlands Regional Organiser.

00:03So obviously we're out here on New Year's Eve, windy New Year's Eve,

00:06can I talk about what we're doing out here today?

00:07Yeah, our members are working trains, giving up their days off to work trains to assist

00:12Avanti in running its train service due to insufficient staffing levels which have been

00:18in place now for a number of years, even pre-Covid. They're using managers to work trains in place of

00:23our members on days off and our managers are being paid far in excess of what our members

00:28are being paid for working their days off. So our members said well it's not fair on us,

00:33so we want a fair share of what's being offered to the managers and that's what they're seeking,

00:38is pay parity.

00:40So just to help the readers understand, what is it that we're actually looking for as a result?

00:45As a result on this, our members are looking for pay parity with what they're paying managers to

00:50work trains. There are differing figures out there as to what the managers are being paid

00:54but sometimes it can be in excess of £500 for a manager just to work a train,

00:59whereas our members are just getting their basic time or a small enhancement on their rates.

01:05So obviously we've got a day of action taking place today,

01:09are we looking at more days of action?

01:10Yes, there's another date set for the 2nd January and then again for Sundays

01:19through to the rest of the strike Monday, which will take us through till May.

01:24Hopefully we can get it resolved before that and we're seeking talks with the company

01:28to try and get this dispute resolved.

01:30So how is obviously morale looks to be high out here today despite the windy weather?

01:35Despite the weather, the morale is high. Our members are fighting for pay parity on this one,

01:40it's not just they want more and more, it's about managers getting paid higher than our

01:47members are paid for working trains and managers don't do the same role as our members when they're

01:52undertaking trains working, so we're supporting our members out there today, fighting to get

01:58pay parity with what managers are being paid for working trains.

02:01Absolutely, so how many more, is this the only day of action taking place out here?

02:08No, Wolverhampton is today, Thursday and then every Sunday till May and then it's

02:16every train manager location across the country from London, Euston to Glasgow and Edinburgh,

02:21all our train manager members are taking industrial action.

02:27If negotiations don't take place, if it doesn't go your way just quite yet,

02:33how long are we looking at seeing this carry on?

02:35This will be in place until our members say enough is enough.

02:39So we've got a mandate for six months on this industrial action

02:43ballot and if we have to we'll use every single one of those dates that we've already set

02:48and we will consider further options and escalating the action if we need to,

02:52but we're out to try and get a resolution to this dispute as soon as possible.