Voluntary recognition will cover employees at bogie service centre

 

Unite has signed a new recognition agreement with the Siemens Mobility train engineering firm in Lincoln, it was announced today (6 Feb).

 

Workers on the factory floor who strip down, repair and then reassemble bogies will now have formal union recognition for vital areas like health and safety, pay negotiations and disciplinary hearings.

 

The agreement follows months of negotiations between Unite and Siemens Mobility management. Unite members will now begin the process of electing representatives (reps) from the workforce for key positions.

 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

 

“I’m pleased our members have won formal recognition at Siemens Mobility. Workers at its Lincoln factory now have the full support and backing of their union on pay claims, protecting and improving their terms and conditions and ensuring a safe workplace.

 

“There is power in a union and our members at Siemens are backed by the UK's winning union, Unite. This new agreement will help to drive up the standard of jobs, pay and conditions for the workers.”

 

Siemens Mobility employ more than 5,500 people across three UK manufacturing facilities and over 30 further sites. It designs, delivers and maintains digital signalling and electrification systems for the East Coast Main Line and TransPennine routes, digital signalling and information systems for the Elizabeth line, digital main line trains for Thameslink and brand new tube trains for London’s Piccadilly line.

 

Unite regional officer Lee Purslow said:

 

“The recognition agreement covering our Siemens’ Mobility members is a significant development.

 

 “We are pleased that the agreement was voluntarily negotiated with the company and Unite is now better placed to effectively represent the workers in future wage negotiations.”