National Express Cut Jobs

[Northrail]

Discuss this Northrail story:

NATIONAL EXPRESS EAST COAST today announced that 95 jobs would be cut at their HQ in York.

Spokesman Alan Hyde said 95 managerial and clerical posts in "back-office" areas were expected to be cut — just under a quarter of the company's total York workforce of about 400 people.

He said staff would be moving out of their current headquarters in Station Rise and relocating to new premises, in Skeldergate in June.

Brian Brock, of the TSSA said he believed the redundancies breached franchise rules. He said: "the merging of staff roles between the company's railway, coach and bus operations appeared to breach Clause 25. He said the clause stated that it should be possible for someone to take over a franchise immediately at any time, but this would be impossible if staff were integrated across more than one business.

He said the point had been argued yesterday with management. "They said: It's all right. We've cleared it'- presumably with the Government. But if that is so, it raises questions about the Government's position." He said the matter had been passed to TSSA's lawyers to look into.

York's ineffective "Labour" MP Hugh Bayley has not commented on the issue so far, but will, no doubt, be fully behind the company.

[Bambi]

That wont go down well

[Northrail]

The TSSA guy makes an interesting point.

Nat Ex are saying they can close down their paybills department because they already have one for Nat Ex coaches, etc.

But further down the line, when the next franchisee comes into the frame, they'll be inheriting a company that isn't complete. It won't have a paybills. Then what do they do? Pay Nat Ex coaches to continue doing it, or set up a new one up from scratch. From what he's saying it looks like the Government is turning a blind eye to its own rules.

I'm sure First Group have made similar moves, possibly with paybills, or customer service. I'm sure I've seen posters on TransPennine saying customer service was in Bristol (FGW).