February 2025
REGIONAL NEWSLETTER
Issue 20
CONTACT US:
North East Region
Your North East Regional Council can be contacted at: NorthEastRegionalCouncil@rmt.org.uk And on our X (Twitter): @RMTNorthEast
WELCOME ON BOARD TO LUMO MEMBERS Historic Recognition Agreement Signed After years of work by activists in the region, we have finally signed a recognition agreement for Customer Experience Ambassadors working for Lumo Trains. This historic agreement means that RMT can now negotiate on pay and conditions for the members who work extremely hard on this open access operator. We will now be able to enter into a collective bargaining agreement, meaning we are better placed to improve the lives of staff through pay and working conditions. Lumo staff are based in Newcastle and full-time officer Gaz Jackson has already met with management to start discussions around the 2025 pay award. Work now starts on ensuring we elect industrial reps within the organisation so we can continue to strengthen our membership. If you work for Lumo Trains and have received this newsletter, please share it with any colleagues who might wish to join the RMT. We have more strength in numbers and must work to ensure all Lumo employees on the frontlines are covered by RMT’s umbrella of protection and solidarity. Special thanks again to Newcastle Rail and Catering branch members, Martin Bullock, Andrew Scott and Dave King, who proved to our new and potential members that RMT isn’t the kind of bullying, dinosaur organisation that Lumo management wanted to portray us. Welcome on board!