Amended Jarvis-Suspension of trading and appointment of administrators 06.05.10

Dear Colleague,

JARVIS – SUSPENSION OF TRADING AND APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATORS

The General Grades Committee met on 29^th April 2010 and took the following decision in light of the recent meeting held between the RMT, TSSA and Babcock Rail.

"That having read the report and the proposed 'agreement' between Babcock Rail and the RMT and TSSA trades unions regarding the appointment of former Jarvis employees, we instruct the General Secretary to proceed with this agreement in an attempt to protect our affected members.

This agreement is not ideal, however for the affected members it is much more positive situation than the one that currently exists.

The General Secretary is further instructed to attempt to identify where all Jarvis work has been allocated and seek with those employers that they should honour TUPE in respect of the Jarvis staff who should be working on these contracts. 

Further the General Secretary is instructed to convene at the earliest opportunity meeting with all our renewals representatives to discuss a strategy for the future.

We reiterate this union's position that there should be a framework agreement governing the use and regulation of agency and contract labour across the railway industry.

We continue to pursue our legitimate claim for employment and rights for all our members formerly employed by Jarvis and we reiterate our continued support for the Justice for Jarvis Workers campaign."

Your union believes that this agreement (available to view at below) marks a significant point in the midst of such a distressing situation for so many and we will continue to put pressure on the other relevant companies to sign up to similar agreements.

I would be grateful if you could distribute the contents of this Circular to your members.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary

RMT backs Justice 4 Jarvis Workers lobby of Network Rail over jobs axe scandal

RAIL UNION RMT is backing a lobby by the Justice 4 Jarvis Workers campaign of Network Rail chief Iain Coucher this Wednesday ( 28th April) as the union continues the fight to save 1200 workers from being dumped on the dole following the collapse of the company last month.

 Justice 4 Jarvis workers from across the UK will be taking their case to the doorstep of Network Rail, and it's Chief Executive Iain Coucher, at 1pm on Wednesday 28^th April at Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG.

 RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

 "1200 Jarvis workers, skilled staff who we need out there on the tracks to keep our railways running, have been totally betrayed by Network Rail who admit that these jobs still need doing but have not lifted a finger to keep these men and women in work.

 "In yet another twist of the knife, Network Rail, and the contractor Babcock Rail who are picking up some of the Jarvis work, have said that in their view the Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) regulations, that protect pay and conditions and length of service, will not apply to any workers they might re-engage. That is a scandal.

 "While the election focuses on personalities and talk of deals to keep politicians in high paid positions after May 6^th, the jobs carnage on Britain's railways continues and is wrecking the lives of key staff that we need to keep the network safe.

 "We are backing the Justice 4 Jarvis Workers campaign and the lobby on Wednesday and are challenging the politicians in the areas hit by these 1200 jobs cuts to cut the spin and the rhetoric and to join the fight to save these workers and their livelihoods."

Dumped Jarvis workers to demonstrate in York tomorrow (Wednesday)

RMT rails against 'stitch-up' of skilled engineering workers

JARVIS WORKERS dumped out of work following the collapse of the company will demonstrate in York tomorrow (Wednesday April 14) demanding justice for 1,200 rail engineering workers needlessly made 'redundant' despite the need for essential work.

RMT has pledged full support for the Justice 4 Jarvis Workers campaign and has expressed anger that Network Rail and the government have failed to take the simple steps needed to save the jobs – and which would have saved millions in redundancy and benefits payments.

The demonstration will gather at the Crescent Club, The Crescent, York, at 11:00 before marching to Jarvis's offices at Meridian House, now occupied by administrators Deloitte, and then to NR's offices at George Stephenson House on Toft Green.

The protest will then move back to the Crescent Club for a rally with RMT assistant general secretary Mick Cash and Transport Salaried Staffs Association leader Gerry Doherty.

"It is absolute nonsense to suggest that 1,200 skilled Jarvis workers suddenly became redundant when the company collapsed, and Network Rail could easily have stepped in to secure their jobs," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"Jarvis had several lucrative contracts in the pipeline. That work still needs to be done, and it should be done by Jarvis workers on the same terms and conditions under transfer of undertakings rules, which our lawyers have told us should apply.

"We know that since the collapse Jarvis work been done instead by a labour-only agency not only paying rock-bottom rates, but also expecting people to work dangerously long hours on top of several hours' travelling time.

"We have people who have had no money for seven weeks – people who should be out there keeping our railways safe rather than queuing for benefits.

"That is a disgrace and it stinks to high heaven of a stitch-up, the more so when we know that it will cost the taxpayer dearly to make our members redundant rather than save their jobs," Bob Crow said.

RMT gives full support to “Justice 4 Jarvis Workers” campaign

RAIL UNION RMT today pledged full support for the "Justice 4 Jarvis Workers" campaign and gave an assurance that the union will continue to do all that it can to assist the 1200 workers dumped out of work through the collapse of the company.

Jarvis workers and their families will be holding a protest in Doncaster this Friday – 9^th April – marching from the Jarvis depots in Bentley Road and Marchfield and then assembling outside the Mansion House on Doncaster High Street at 11am. RMT will be holding a meeting of the workers at 12 noon in Doncaster Trades and Labour Club.

RMT President Alex Gordon will be speaking at the protest which has the full support of both RMT and TSSA.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

"The callous and cynical way that the Jarvis workforce have been treated is a national disgrace. There is essential work for these staff to do and we are demanding that their jobs be transferred over to other contractors who are now bidding for the former Jarvis contracts. We have legal advice that the Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) regulations should apply.

"It is a stain on the reputation of Gordon Brown and his party that Labour did nothing to save the Jarvis workers jobs - a move which would have cost them a tiny fraction of the many billions that was thrown at the bankers to save their skins. That failure to act will cost Labour dear at the ballot box in the towns and cities hit by the Jarvis collapse.

"RMT fully supports the "Justice 4 Jarvis Workers" campaign. These skilled men and women should be out there replacing worn sections of railway track, not queuing up at the benefit office. These 1200 job losses are wholly bound up with the £5 billion Network Rail cuts programme which is ripping apart both the rail industry and the livelihoods of the people we rely on to deliver safe rail travel."

RMT calls on Government to act to save 1200 Jarvis rail jobs

RAIL UNION RMT today called on the Government to launch a last-ditch rescue package to save 1200 skilled jobs at rail contractor Jarvis

Jarvis and its two rail companies, Jarvis Rail and Jarvis Fastline were last week placed in administration. This is in part due to the decision of the government backed Network Rail to defer thirty per cent of rail renewals work last year.

RMT understands that under the terms of the Railways Act, Jarvis is a protected industry which means that the government, if it so wishes, can be a guarantor of last resort and protect the jobs, wages and pensions of the Jarvis workers. RMT has been advised that the administrator had approached the Department for Transport to discuss what support could be made available. No response has been received from the Government.

RMT has also been advised that Deloitte yesterday met Network Rail seeking assurances on the continuation of existing Jarvis contracts. We have been advised that Network Rail have rejected this approach from the administrator.

Appallingly, Network Rail have even rejected a request for a four week breathing space and instead informed the administrator that they will instead be asking other companies to bid for the work undertaken by Jarvis.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary said:

"The total cost of the administrators' Jarvis rescue package would be a tiny fraction of the many billions used to bail out the banks and it would be money that would be easily recouped by the Government and Network Rail. That perfectly viable rescue plan has been thrown out with callous disregard for the livelihoods of the Jarvis workforce.

"Instead, as a result of the government refusing to use its legal powers to intervene and ignoring the administrator's proposals, 1200 workers will be sacked in a matter of days and their pensions destroyed. That is a scandal

"But there is still time to act. We have written to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Transport to ask them to use the Government's legal powers to intervene to protect the Jarvis rail workers. They cannot sit back and watch while these jobs are wiped out."