Merseyrail Company news

TSSA has sole recognition rights for Merseyrail managerial and professional & technical staff, and shared recognition rights for clerical, supervisory and station staff.

TSSA Officer: Julie Hilling - Senior Regional Organiser, North West Team

TSSA Officer: Vic Walsh - Regional Organiser, North West Team

Merseyrail Electrics 2002 Ltd (trading as Merseyrail) is a company jointly owned by Serco and Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Netherlands Railways).

It has a 25 year concession granted in 2003 by Merseytravel (the Merseyside Passenger Transport Authority) to operate the largely self-contained third rail electrified network serving much of Merseyside, and also Chester.

Company Address: Rail House, Lord Nelson Street, Liverpool L1 1JF

Website: www.merseyrail.org

Merseyrail - news

Pay Talks 2010: New offer submitted by Management - 6 August 2010: As you will be aware from my previous circular, at the last Merseyrail pay meeting on the 14th July 2010 management submitted their “final” pay offer. Following this, we invited all members to a branch meeting to decide on whether to accept this proposal. However we have now had another subsequent offer put forward by the company.

Branch Meeting – Pay Talks 2010 - 28 July 2010: Despite setting a deadline of 28 July 2010 for an improved offer, we have had no further contact from the company to date. Therefore we invite all members to the next TSSA Merseyrail branch meeting to discuss this issue:

Pay cut offered to staff as company seeks to protect profits and director’s bonuses! - 21 July 2010: TSSA has rejected a ‘final’ offer from Merseyrail to increase basic salaries for non-managers by a flat rate Ł570 from 1 April. With inflation at 3.7% in February (the usual Retail Prices Index (RPI) reference point for April pay anniversary dates) this represents a significant pay cut for all staff.

Railways Pension Scheme Referendum - 10 August 2009: TSSA members working for Merseyrail have now voted in the referendum on the Company’s proposals to introduce cost neutral retirement factors in its section of the Railways Pension Scheme. The referendum closed on 23rd June 2009.

Railways Pensions Scheme Referendum - 5 June 2009: Merseyrail have sent a letter out to all employees outlining their proposals for the Merseyrail Section of the Railway Pension Scheme. The broad proposals are:

Clerical and Management Grade Staff - 35 hour working week - 20 December 2008: You will recall that an important element of the 2008 pay settlement for TSSA members was a commitment by the company to enter into meaningful discussions regarding the working week for clerical and management grade staff.

2008 Pay Negotiations - 30 May 2008: Your TSSA Bargaining Team has met with the company on four separate occasions during the previous two months, with the aim of achieving a negotiated settlement to the 2008 Pay Award.

News - 17 June 2005: Management Staff representation: new agreement signed - Classified staff pay talks

Managers vote overwhelmingly in favour of TSSA pay bargaining - 1 June 2005: Merseyrail Management Staff members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of having TSSA negotiate pay on their behalf.

Representation of Management Staff - 3 May 2005: TSSA management staff rep Steph Owens, accompanied by Negotiations Officer Steve Coe, met recently with Merseyrail to discuss the representation of management staff by the union.

’Vertical Integration’ of Merseyside third rail electric services - 18 April 2005: TSSA’s Executive Committee has decided to oppose moves to split off the Merseyside 3rd rail electric railway from the rest of the national network, and transfer Network Rail (NR) infrastructure operations and maintenance, including the staff, under the control of private train operator Merseyrail.

RMT Guards Strike: TSSA advises members not to volunteer as strike breakers - 14 April 2005: Merseyrail management is currently seeking volunteers to train as guards and be used as ‘strike breakers’ in the dispute with RMT guards.

RMT Guards Strike - 8 April 2005: As you will doubtless be aware, RMT guards will be taking part in strike action today and tomorrow.

News - 21 December 2004: Company offers unions a ‘Learning’ agreement - Election results

News - 18 November 2004: TSSA says no to ‘back door’ restructuring - Company Council rep elections

Branch accepts pay offer - 26 May 2004: Merseyrail Branch last night voted narrowly to accept the Company’s final pay offer. This followed a report back to the Branch by Pay & Benefits rep Joy Crowe and TSSA Negotiations Officer Steve Coe, who met the Company yesterday afternoon.

Branch meeting rejects pay offer - 13 May 2004: The Merseyrail Electrics Branch meeting held last night voted unanimously to reject the company’s pay offer made to TSSA last Friday.

Station restructuring - it’s YES (but only just!) - 30 March 2004: TSSA members in station grades have voted to accept the company’s final offer by 6 votes to 5. 20 ballot papers were issued. The company has been advised of the union’s decision to accept.

Station Restructuring - 12 March 2004: In a ballot of TSSA members that followed the conclusion of the negotiations, the offer was rejected by a small majority. Significantly, a relatively large number of our members did not vote.

Steph steps down as a rep - 24 November 2003: Steph Owens has been promoted to Management Staff grade, and has therefore stepped down as Company Council Clerical Rep for the constituency that covers staff in HQ, MEC, Trains, Retail (except stations) and Fleet. Steph has therefore also had to step down as TSSA rep on the Pay & Benefits Forum.

Station restructuring: TSSA recommends ’final offer’ - 20 October 2003: TSSA is recommending to clerical members that they should accept the station restructuring ’final offer’ made by Merseyrail.

Branch unanimously endorses pay deal - 1 October 2003: The Merseyrail Branch has unanimously endorsed and approved the company’s pay offer for non-management staff. Branch Secretary Steph Owens was the TSSA’s rep at the pay talks, supported by TSSA Negotiations Officer Steve Coe. She said:

Company offers 3.8% and a 36 hour week - 11 September 2003: After long and intensive negotiations, agreement was reached last night on a pay deal which will increase basic rates of pay by 3.8% from 6 April 2003, and reduce the working week to 36 hours for those now on 37 hours, effective from 5 January 2004.

2003 Pay Claim - 4 September 2003: TSSA’s Merseyrail Branch has rejected the company’s proposals made during pay talks to change Redundancy, Transfer and Resettlement (RT&R) arrangements for those staff still on former British Rail ’Red Book’ conditions.

The Dutch take over Arriva Trains Merseyside - 4 June 2003: A very strong Dutch influence will be seen when NS (Netherlands Railways) and Serco take over from Arriva Trains Merseyside on 20 July 2003... but don’t worry, you won’t need to learn Dutch! NS’s Patrick Verwer has been appointed as the new Managing Director, and he attended last Friday’s Company Council along with other members of the NS/Serco bid team.

Unions meet Merseytravel to discuss new franchising arrangements - 11 February 2003: TSSA, RMT and ASLEF met with Merseytravel to discuss the future of what is now Arriva Trains Merseyside. The preferred bidder for the new ’concession’ which will succeed the current franchise will be announced around 28 February 2003, with the new company taking over from Arriva on 20 July 2003.

35 hour week: talks break down - 27 January 2003: Talks on the introduction of the 35 hour week broke down last Friday. The talks followed the recent settlement of the unions’ pay claims for 2002, part of which was the following:

Health & Safety Matters - 25 January 2002: The following document contains details of Health and Safety matters including Union Improvement Notices, Staff Assaults and Absestos.

Station Staff Restructuring - 25 January 2002: Members will be aware that the company has tabled a ’final offer’ in respect of the restructuring package for station staff (excluding supervisors who are subject to a separate package). During the negotiations I have been accompanied by Derek Crawshaw from Birkenhead Central booking office. Details of this offer have been distributed, and Derek has visited most TSSA members involved to discuss the package.

Elections - 28 November 2001: The Arriva Trains Merseyside Branch AGM will be held on Wednesday 12 December 2001 at the Lord Nelson Hotel (opposite Rail House), Liverpool. The meeting will commence at 1730.

Pay Review 2001 - 30 July 2001: At the Branch Meeting held on 26 July 2001, those TSSA members present voted to accept Management’s latest offer of 3.5% backdated to the anniversary date of the first Sunday in April 2001.

2001 Pay Claim and Reduction in the Working Week - 26 July 2001: The Company reaffirms its commitment to achieving a reduction in the basic working week on the basis of the terms of the 1999 pay agreement, proposals for which will be developed on a grade group basis.

Registered Head Office: Walkden House, 10 Melton Street, London, England