"A transparent attempt to divide the workforce"
Workers who took part in rail strikes have been flatly denied their bonuses by employer Network Rail, in a move that’s been described as ‘disgraceful and ‘spiteful’.
Up to 20,000 RMT union members could be affected by the decision taken by the rail company to penalise union members who engaged in strike action for better pay and conditions.
Despite not taking strike action until June 2022, the scheme affects bonuses for years 21/22 as well as 23/34, with the refused annual bonuses worth roughly £300.
Jeremy Corbyn’s organisation Peace & Justice Project blasted the move as ‘spiteful’ and ‘cynical’ whilst RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said it was ‘disgraceful’ and a ‘transparent attempt to divide the workforce’.
The Peace & Justice Project wrote: “Network Rail’s decision to withhold bonuses for RMT union workers who fought for fair pay and conditions during a cost of living crisis whilst rail bosses took home six-figure salaries is spiteful, cynical and must be reversed.”
Over 13,000 people have signed a petition on Organise calling on Network Rail to give all workers their bonuses, which the petition refers to as a, ‘direct action to divide and conquer union members’ and ‘intimidate’ them into not taking industrial action going forward.
Eddie Dempsey, RMT assistant general secretary, slammed the decision as ‘egregious’ on Times Radio and highlighted the importance of frontline rail workers during the pandemic.
“What’s got our members extremely annoyed is that a lot of the managers who, during the pandemic and at the start of 2021 were working at home away from the workplace, whilst our members were out unable to socially distance and working to keep the railways going.
“They then came into work when our members are out on strike and worked our members jobs to break their strike, and were paid bonuses at the time for doing it.
“They’re then giving those people a bonus again and not our members. Even though they contributed to the performance of Network Rail.”
The dispute was settled in March when members accepted a 9% pay increase, with Dempsey saying that, since the dispute, there had been hope of, ‘trying to create a situation where we’ve got a bit of peace in the industry and trying to rebuild relationships.’
However the move looks set to disrupt the peace. Network Rail said their position was made ‘crystal clear’ that, “any discretionary payments would focus on those who continued to support rail services during industrial action.”
The union is about to enter the next round of pay talks with the company and said they will ask again for the discretionary, performance related bonuses to be scrapped altogether, but, while the scheme exists, they demanded all workers be paid their bonuses.
Dempsey added: “Our members contributed to the performance of Network Rail arguable in a far more significant way than some of these managers sat at home in teams meetings.
“We expect our members to be paid for that and they expected to be paid for that as well.”
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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