NR General Grades and Controllers Pay Referendum Suspended

We are writing to inform members that the pay referendum for General Grades & Controllers has been suspended.

TSSA, in good faith, presented our members with details of a pay offer so you could take a view and let us know what you thought of the offer.

The offer was presented to members as we understood it at the time. We did not offer any comment for, or against the offer.

We are a member-led Union and we felt that this was the right thing to do – to give you a say. We remain committed to this principle.

However, since we opened the referendum, our reps’ decision to let our members have a say on the offer has been manipulated by the Government to attack our colleagues in sister unions and misused by Network Rail to try and influence our members’ vote. This is unacceptable and clearly against the spirit in which we took the decision to present the offer to members.

Yesterday saw the initial meeting to commence discussions around “Modernising Maintenance”. We found that a number of items had been introduced that we were previously unaware of. If unchallenged, these items may have a significantly adverse impact on our members’ working lives.

As a consequence, we believe the scenario from when we presented the offer, to where we find ourselves today has changed. In effect members have been voting for something that may not be delivered in the way it was offered. This is totally unfair on you.

We cannot and will not accept any employer changing or reneging on any offer that has been put to you in good faith.

As a result, the General Grades & Controllers referendum on pay has been suspended until we receive absolute clarity on what the offer means and assurances that changes will not be made or introduced at a later date without full negotiation with the TSSA.

Unless we receive satisfactory assurances by noon on the 4^th August, we will be issuing notification of industrial action for the 18^th and 20^th August in line with your colleagues in the TOCs that have already been served notice of our intentions.

Bands 1-4 Pay Referendum

We can confirm that our referendum on the pay offer for management grades has not been compromised in the same way. This referendum remains open, and we encourage every member to vote.

Have your say on pay

We reiterate our commitment to giving all members a vote once suitable assurances have been provided that the goalposts will not move and no undue interference in the democratic process will take place.