GTR Strike Leaflet

WHY WE ARE STRIKING IF IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE DOORS, WHAT IS THE CONDUCTOR DISPUTE ABOUT? GTR have from the outset of this dispute claimed that the changes they want to implement are about the “modernisation of the railway" and will have no negative impact on Safety Security or Accessibility of the rail network. They have, throughout the past 7 months, trivialised their dispute with Conductors insisting to the travelling public, politicians and media that it was all over transferring the responsibility for pressing the button for closing the train doors from Conductors to Drivers.

If this long running dispute is not about who presses the button to close the train doors, what is the catalyst behind the months of disruption?

No one will be surprised to find that the motivation behind the dispute has nothing to do with improving the customer experience and is all about MONEY. Below is an extract from an internal GTR email sent in the last week of September: “From 30 September 2016 the penalty fare scheme will be extended to all GTR stations.

Our overall approach to revenue protection is to ensure that passengers are given every opportunity to purchase the right ticket for their journey before

travelling. However, even if a low percentage of passengers travel without paying, millions of pounds of revenue are at risk, which is why we are extending the penalty fare scheme to cover all GTR stations from 30 September 2016."

The GTR franchise is based around the company achieving targets for reducing ticketless travel on the network.

This it is hoped will give the DFT extra millions in revenue and GTR will qualify for the generous bonuses built into the franchise. The customer financed Judicial Review should hopefully disclose the value of these bonuses.

The goal of reducing ticketless travel would be supported by rail users and rail workers alike, providing GTR approached achieving these targets in a credible manner which ensured that there would be no negative impact on Safety, Security or Accessibility.

The ethical approach GTR should have adopted was to increase the size of their Revenue Protection Department, which would achieve their goal of reducing ticketless travel, this would have brought in the additional revenue to the DFT thereby triggering GTR's bonus payments. This approach would have the

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additional benefit of increasing both the visibility and availability of staff which in turn improves security, accessibility and customer service on the network.

GTR instead made the decision to maximise profits. They decided to implement a plan that would allow them to reach the targets set by the DFT and so achieve their bonus payments without increasing the number of staff they employ. This means that GTR can qualify for the bonus payments without any additional costs.

GTR decided to get the extra Revenue Protection Officers they required by removing the 2nd Safety Critical member of staff from on board train services.

To disguise this as a “modernisation plan" GTR's first move was to rebrand their Revenue Protection Officers as On Board Supervisors.

Now the Company are attempting to force over 200 Conductors out of their Safety Critical Role and into being On Board Supervisors (Revenue Protection).

Adopting this method undoubtedly achieves GTR's ambition to maximise profits but only at a serious cost to the rail network as outlined below; The 2nd Safety Critical member of staff is removed from the dispatch process increasing the risk to the travelling public and when accidents occur leaving Train drivers at risk of prosecution.

The 2nd Safety Critical member of staff is removed meaning in cases of Collision (Watford Junction) Accident, Fire etc., there will no longer be a qualified member of staff to take over from the driver if they are incapacitated (Watford Junction).

The 2nd member of staff will not be

available to ensure disabled access to train services meaning that to avoid lengthy delays, those requiring assistance to board services will have to book in advance.

The 2nd member of staff will not be available to reassure customers regarding security and anti social behaviour or assist them with travel or ticketing issues.

GTR have throughout this dispute reassured customers that the 2nd member of staff will be remaining on the services giving customers the reassurance that disabled access, security and customer service will be improved rather than be adversly effected.

THIS IS NOT TRUE. The Union has asked for the Company to confirm that the 2nd member of staff will be on all the services they currently cover as GTR have given this assurance to their customers, politicians and the press. GTR are not only unable to give this assurance they go further and make it clear that the point of this exercise is to enable them to operate services with the driver being the only crew member on board (DOO).

So now we all know GTR have no “modernisation plan" instead their interests are in a “Cash Grab" at the expense of the Safety, Security and Accessibility on the rail network, what do we do about it ?

Rail customers need to demand from GTR and the Politicians that this "Cash Grab" is stopped and instead GTR should be instructed by the DFT to enter into meaningful, creative and constructive talks with the rail unions to bring about a modern and reliable train service with Safety, Security and Accessibility as its cornerstone.

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