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