NETWORK RAIL HARMONISATION TALKS

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NETWORK RAIL HARMONISATION TALKS

ALL INDUSTRIAL ACTION FOR WEEKEND 15TH TO 18TH AUGUST SUSPENDED

As a result of concerted efforts by the Union, Network Rail has agreed to urgent talks on the harmonisation negotiations. These talks will start tomorrow, 13th August. The General Secretary will also be meeting the Chief Executive as soon as possible.

We have made it clear that the negotiating team must be able to back up any agreement and not have their decision rescinded by the Board a couple of hours after the Union leave the talks.

As you know we believed that we had reached a stage at the last talks that would have enabled us to suspend action and negotiate further on harmonisation. However, Network Rails Board totally ignored the position reached by their own negotiating team and completely undermined both their team and the negotiating process itself. This was an absolutely disgraceful situation that gave us no option but to put the industrial action back on. We now hope the talks will allow us to progress our claim for harmonisation but if Network Rail backtrack or renege on the commitment for serious negotiations by the negotiating team then the General Grades Committee will readdress the question of Industrial Action immediately.

The ball is firmly in Network Rails court

Bob Crow
General Secretary