Wage anger over injured rail staff

Date published: 22 January 2008

MPs have branded Rochdale’s commuter train operator Northern Rail heartless and greedy after claims that the company is docking the pay of staff who have been assaulted at work.

A motion tabled in Parliament accuses the firm of introducing a new policy which means that staff forced to take time off work following an assault only receive full average earnings if they have received a severe physical injury.

MPs say they are appalled that this means that staff suffering less serious injuries or who take time off after sexist, racist and homophobic threats will suffer a loss of earnings.

The motion says the policy sends out the message that anti-social and disruptive behaviour is not taken seriously by Northern Rail.

According to rail union, the RMT, the policy was revealed when a conductor who had been physically assaulted and threatened with a bottle was advised he would only receive basic wages during his recuperation as the attack was not deemed serious enough.

Average earnings would be higher than basic pay because it would include overtime.

The Early Day Motion, which has been signed by 16 MPs, urges the company to restore immediately its previous policy of paying average earnings to staff who have suffered physical, verbal and threatening assaults.