NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release 12 May 2003

Silverlink success for TSSA

RAIL union TSSA has won recognition rights for managers in Silverlink.

In a decisive victory, 83% of managers voting opted to be represented byTSSA despite over a years' resistance by the train operating company (TOC)to grant recognition.

The result of the ballot was 55 votes for recognition and only 11 against,with turnout at 71% of the bargaining group.

TSSA said that this was just the start of a campaign to win recognition formanagers in every TOC in the country.

This outstanding result builds on the success already gained by the union inNetwork Rail, where it secured recognition last year for a third of theorganisation's total workforce. This result made rail history as it was thelargest group of rail workers to win recognition since the balloting processwas introduced in 1998.

TSSA said it was clear from the start - 15 months ago - that the majority ofmanagers supported recognition, but that Silverlink tried to block allavenues to avoid giving managers what they wanted.

Gerry Doherty, TSSA Development Manager, commented: "This is a fantastic winfor TSSA and for Silverlink mangers.

"The fact that we have notched up two major victories in relatively shortsuccession in the rail industry is a vote of confidence to seek unionrecognition for managers in the rest of the TOCs.

"Silverlink maintained all along that that its employees didn't want or needto be represented by a union. This result shows the company got that welland truly wrong with such overwhelming support from the workforce.

"Silverlink knew as far back as 15 months ago that there was a strong demandfor recognition. TSSA is concerned that employers can exploit loopholes inthe Central Arbitration Committee's (CAC) recognition procedures to drag outthe process for so long.

"We will be writing to the CAC to ask what it can do to prevent such delaysin situations where the outcome is so certain in the future."

ends

For further information, please contact: Hannah Leggett tel: (020) 7529 8059or 07769 682806 (mobile), or Gerry Doherty, tel: 020 7529 8014, or 0780 1476095.

Notes to Editors
1. TSSA represents 32,000 members in administrative, clerical,managerial, professional and technical jobs in the railways, buses, theLondon Underground, the travel trade, canals, ports and ferries, and roadhaulage.

2. The Central Arbitration Committee is the final arbiter in disputesbetween employers and unions over recognition. Groups of workers - known asthe bargaining unit - may be identified in organisations for unionrecognition. In the case of Silverlink, the bargaining unit was managers,excluding very senior management. It took approximately five months forSilverlink to agree the bargaining unit with TSSA. The next stage in theprocess is to identify the strength of support for union recognition. Thelaw says that if 50%, plus one, say they want to be represented by theunion, recognition is automatically granted. As over 50% of the bargainingunit were already members of TSSA, there was no need to ballot workers, andtherefore unnecessarily prolong the process. TSSA questions why sucharbitration procedures exist if they are not going to be adhered to.

3. Silverlink operates on two lines, the County line - London toBirmingham, calling at local stations, and Silverlink Metro, which operatessuburban routes in London.

4. There were 93 managers in the bargaining unit.

5. Having won the right to recognition at Network Rail, TSSA has theright to negotiate on pay and terms and conditions for 4500 managersthroughout the UK.