Rail workers set for action

Members of the RMT rail union in Network Rail’s maintenance and signalling workforces have voted for industrial action.

Network Rail wants to axe up to 1,500 safety-critical maintenance jobs and “rip up national agreements on working practices”, and to impose new working conditions in signalling, the RMT says.

Meanwhile, a firm union stand in the Royal Mail seems to have borne fruit. The CWU postal workers’ union is currently preparing to ballot members on the Business transformation – 2010 and beyond agreement concluded last month. It covers all aspects of modernisation and was, union leaders say, negotiated as a direct result of last year’s dispute. They have now hit the road with an ‘’It’s Time for Change’’ roadshow providing detailed feedback on the agreement to union branch reps, and giving them the opportunity to raise any concerns.