Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

Abellio ScotRail

We will start operating the ScotRail franchise on 1 April 2015. Hopefully this Question & Answer (Q&A) summary will answer some of the questions you have about the transition to the new franchise, and about our plans.

If the answer to your question doesn’t appear here, please drop us an email to: [email protected]. We’ll endeavour to reply to it as soon as possible and will add the most frequently asked ones to this document. If your question is one that you would not like shared in this forum please let us know when asking.

Newly added Q&As are highlighted in red.

The sections currently included in this document are:

1. Mobilisation ...... 1 2. Employment in the new franchise ...... 2 a) Transfer ...... 2 b) Terms and conditions ...... 2 c) Pension ...... 3 d) Entitlements ...... 4 3. Our plans for the new franchise ...... 6 a) Engineering plans at Haymarket depot ...... 6 b) Uniforms and equipment for staff ...... 7 c) Other travel arrangements ...... 8

1. Mobilisation Mobilisation is the period between us being awarded the franchise and starting to operate it on 1 April 2015. During this time we have a team that is sorting out all the details to enable a smooth and successful transfer of operations from First Group to Abellio. Question Answer We’ve heard that between now and The type of activities this includes are: getting our Safety Certificate and Licence from the Office of Rail Regulation for April you are ‘mobilising’ but what does running ScotRail; arranging leases for the rolling stock we need; reviewing and setting up almost 500 contracts with this involve? suppliers used by ScotRail; making sure the IT platforms and information are transferred for Day 1, this covers most things in the business from operation systems (eg Trust) to ticketing and accounting - and also the rostering and payroll systems so you get paid after 1 April; and many more. Please feel free to chat to members of the mobilisation team if you see us around.

page 1 of 8

Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

2. Employment in the new franchise If you currently work for First ScotRail and are transferring into the new Abellio ScotRail franchise then your rights are protected under legislation, known as ‘TUPE’. For more details about what this means, please read through the Q&A in this section:

a) Transfer Question Answer What is TUPE? TUPE is the abbreviation for the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006. TUPE protects employees’ terms and conditions when a business or undertaking, or part of one, is transferred to a new employer. Will my employment transfer under Employees who are in-scope and assigned at the point of transfer (ie working in identified roles to deliver the current the TUPE Regulations? services) will TUPE transfer to the new franchise on 1 April 2015, with all their existing terms and conditions. Is the transfer permanent? Yes, you will receive formal notification of the intention for you to transfer and then confirmation that the transfer has been completed. Will my length of service be fully Yes. Continuity of employment is protected, which means that employees who transfer to Abellio ScotRail will take transferred? their existing length of service with them as if they had always worked for us. If I am selected for TUPE, will I No, you will not receive a job offer or new contract as under TUPE your employment transfers automatically. Your receive a job offer or new contract current contract of employment will continue to apply, but you will get a letter confirming a change of employer to from Abellio? Abellio ScotRail. How does the TUPE process affect Anyone off sick does not affect the transfer, employees will still TUPE across on the same terms. Sickness and people off sick? absence records will also transfer across as part of the continuity of employment. If I have concerns regarding the Please talk to your line manager or speak to the current HR team, who will be able to advise. Also, your staff transfer, who should I talk to? representatives will be involved in the TUPE consultation. They will collate questions and pass any information back to you. What happens if I am on holiday or Line managers and the existing HR team should make arrangements to ensure those on leave are kept up to date off sick during the consultation with any communications. This applies to people on maternity leave, career breaks, and long-term sick leave or process? deployed in the Reserve Forces.

b) Terms and conditions Question Answer Will any of my Terms and Conditions You will transfer on your existing contractual terms and conditions. The TUPE Regulations is the employee protection change? legislation that applies in the UK. It has the effect that anyone whose principal work moves to another employer, transfers to that company with contractual terms and conditions that are directly comparable to the ones they already enjoy. Any changes to terms and conditions remain the subject of consultation or negotiation. Will I need to submit my CV or go for All employees in-scope will automatically transfer. We will not require CVs and applications for that process. an interview?

page 2 of 8

Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

On transferring will I get a new No, your current contract of employment will continue to apply, but you will get a letter confirming a change of contract? employer to Abellio ScotRail. Will my hours of work alter? There should be no change to your contractual hours of work. If there is a requirement to change working arrangements at any time, this will be done following the established consultation processes in the normal way. How will people returning from People in ‘assigned’ posts who are on maternity leave from First on transfer day will transfer under TUPE. They will maternity leave after the transfer date continue to be employed by Abellio ScotRail on their transferred terms and return to work as agreed with First, once be affected? their maternity leave has ended. NEW 30/12: Are there any plans to Thanks for your question. We have no plans to make any changes to the current policy, indeed the make changes to the current family maternity/paternity leave entitlements are part of the terms and conditions that transfer across with you into the new friendly policy, in particular to the franchise. Maternity/Paternity Leave entitlement? If so, how would this We will also honour any request for maternity/paternity leave made to First ScotRail prior to the transfer even though affect staff who inform HR of their it will not be taken until after the 1st April 2015 when Abellio becomes the train operator. intent to take said leave but who have yet to commence leave when We hope that puts your mind at rest and wish you all the best for 2015! the franchise switches over?

c) Pension Question Answer What does the change in franchise The only thing that will change will be the name of the pension fund Section – to the Abellio ScotRail Section. If you operator mean for our pensions? are currently a member of the Railway Pension Scheme (RPS), First ScotRail Section, you will continue to be a member of the RPS and your accrued benefits transferred to the re-named Section. The existing pension contribution rate and benefits remain unchanged. If you are part of the Salary Sacrifice arrangements (sometimes called Smart Pensions), this arrangement will also transfer.

NEW 15/01: I started working for We’re in the process of arranging a ‘Deed' to transfer the pension Section to us, as the new employer, from 1 April ScotRail in November 2014 and as 2015; this will enable the legal transfer and continuation of the existing pension arrangements beyond 1 April. The yet, I still have a pension fund decision not to allow new members to transfer previous pension savings from plans outside the rail industry was outstanding from my previous made by the Trustees some time ago and written into the Scheme Rules; and any changes to these existing Rules employer. I was told that First Group must be discussed and approved by the Pension Trustees. didn’t allow new employees to At this stage, all we can do is note your question and speak to the Trustees about that decision once we become the transfer over pension funds to their designated employer. We appreciate that it doesn’t answer your question directly but unfortunately it is out of our scheme, so I was wondering if this is control at the moment. something that you will implement come April 2015?

page 3 of 8

Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

d) Entitlements Question Answer What is happening to our ScotRail We have agreed to continue providing the existing free travel concessions currently enjoyed by staff and their free travel cards? dependants. We have asked First ScotRail to issue new cards to all current holders. These will be sent out shortly as they expire at the end of 2014. What annual leave will I be entitled As your contract of employment is unchanged, your annual leave entitlement is unaffected. Any days you have to? already taken for the year up to the transfer date will of course be deducted from your normal annual entitlement.

Will accumulated lieu leave be Yes - they will transfer with you and can be taken in accordance with the current arrangements for taking such leave. carried over to Abellio ScotRail? What happens to my sick pay Under the terms of the transfer, your existing sick pay arrangements continue, any already taken will be taken into entitlement? account for future sickness as now.

NEW 29/12: Can you please clarify As you will probably be aware, the new Smartcards to replace those expiring at the end of 2014 have been/are being that all First ScotRail staff can use issued by First ScotRail for use from January 2015. We have agreed with that the travel concessions currently their smartcards for privilege travel on in place for existing First ScotRail staff who transfer to either the new ScotRail or franchises will the sleeper services. continue, so our expectation is that those arrangements will be honoured.

We are just checking with First ScotRail about how these current privilege arrangements are applied to make sure Serco are aware and we will get back to you again when we have their responses.

Follow-up 15/01: We have now been in touch with First ScotRail to clarify the current arrangements for employees who want to travel on the Sleeper service; and with Serco to get clarity on future arrangements once it takes over the Sleeper franchise. In summary: • today, employees get free travel on Sleeper Services by showing their ScotRail Smartcard to make a reservation – this is subject to availability because the number of free berths are limited, and restrictions may apply. This privilege is available regardless of whether the employee is safeguarded or not (ie staff who were working on the Railway prior to privatisation are 'safeguarded' certain free travel concessions on the rail network). • If an employee joined after 1st April 1996, they will be a 'non-safeguarded' employee and currently have an ATOC privilege card to enable them to purchase reduced rate travel on other train operators’ services • with the Sleeper franchise being run separately from the rest of the ScotRail franchise from 1 April 2015, Serco could have decided to apply the privilege card rules for non-safeguarded employees (which would mean reduced rate rather than free tickets). However, the great news for ScotRail employees is that they will all be able to continue to use their recently reissued ScotRail Smartcard to get free travel on Sleeper services beyond 1st April 2015.

We hope that clarifies for you, please do not hesitate to contact us if it is still unclear.

page 4 of 8

Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

NEW 29/12: At the minute we can The arrangement you describe is one set up by First Group specifically to cover its own existing TOC services and travel on other First Group TOC will therefore cease once the franchise is transferred to Abellio Group. services using our "free passes" will there be arrangements for this to We do currently have reciprocal travel concession arrangements in our three existing franchises but there are a continue? Will there be arrangements number of questions and steps to be taken before we can confirm those going forward (eg is a concession for us to use our passes on other and passenger revenue income goes to Merseytravel Passenger Transport Authority - therefore it is not solely our Abellio franchises? decision; and in May 2015 part of Abellio Greater Anglia is due to transfer into the new Transport for Crossrail concession, to be operated by MTR with similar revenue implications).

If we get the necessary clearances we will communicate this with ScotRail colleagues in due course. NEW 30/12: I am currently First Thanks for your question and we are glad you like our webpage and the opportunity to ask us questions. ScotRail station staff and I should like to say I like the way you have given A formal announcement will be made nearer the time of transfer, as we wait to confirm certain details of staff travel us the opportunity communicate with with Serco, the new Caledonian Sleeper operator, about arrangements on that part of the network. However, it is our you and ask questions regarding the intention to reinstate the retired staff travel concessions for ScotRail staff who retire after we take over the new franchise changeover and our terms franchise in April 2015, under the same conditions in place now. So when you do decide to retire you will be able to and conditions going forward. retain those travel benefits while we operate the franchise.

At the present time I am fit and We also intend to honour the travel concessions for those retired staff and spouses who currently enjoy those healthy and enjoy my work very facilities. As you may be aware, we have asked First ScotRail to reissue new ScotRail Smartcards to all those staff, much, however, during the next five retired and current, and dependants who are currently in possession of the ones that expire today. Again there is years I will at some point decide to some detail to finalise before we can announce. retire. As a non-safeguarded member of staff my wife and I would I hope that puts your mind at rest for when you do decide to hang up your uniform! Best wishes for the New Year and retain our staff travel in retirement we look forward to working with you from April 2015. under the current arrangements. When Abellio take over • will there be any change to this under Abellio and what would those changes be? • will those ex-employees who have already retired and their spouses retain their right to travel concessions?

page 5 of 8

Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

3. Our plans for the new franchise a) Engineering plans at Haymarket depot Question Answer NEW 16/12: We work at Haymarket depot, Thank you for your questions. We appreciate that any period of change is unsettling for staff and we will try to and are seeking some answer as many of your questions as we can at the moment. We stress in doing so that we are not trying to clarification on the future engineering plans substitute or bypass the formal procedures that exist with your recognised trade union representatives. We will for the business. With the influx of new fully consult with them when we are in a position to do so; however, in the meantime we can tell you that Hitachi trains in 2017 which it seems are to Abellio has given a commitment that there will be no compulsory redundancies, which we hope will allay many be based at a new depot at Millerhill, and fears. the arrival of 27 HST sets around 2018 it The planned changes in the new franchise will affect a number of depots. Whilst we recognise there will be would be logical to assume that the bulk or reductions in workload at Haymarket, there will be more than 20% more vehicles in the revised ScotRail fleet in all of the Class 170's will be returned to the 2019 than at the start of the franchise. This is to accommodate the expected growth in passenger numbers that Rosco. This raises several questions about there will be during the franchise. We will have to keep DMUs in the early years to then be able to carry the future staffing levels at Haymarket. extra passengers towards the end of the franchise. Will the HST's be maintained here or will the The introduction of HSTs and the new EMUs will have an impact at Haymarket. The changes will not, however, work be contracted out to the holder of the begin until December 2017, following electrification of the EGIP (Edinburgh Improvement East Coast franchise at Craigentinny? Programme) route. There will be further changes by December 2018. I can confirm there will be four fewer If the work is contacted out what does the Class 170s on day one (1 April 2015), as these units have been signed up to operate on the new Govia future hold for Haymarket as the workload Railway (GTR) franchise. All 9 x Class 170 Eversholt units have been leased to GTR, but 5 x Class will be reduced significantly with only 158's 170s units are being sub-leased back to ScotRail. allocated here and Corkerhill now doing The exact number of DMUs at Haymarket is not yet finalised but whatever happens there will still be a mix of some of this work? Will the staff at Millerhill Class 158s and Class 170s. The facilities at Millerhill will be limited to the facilities of a light maintenance work for the ScotRail franchise or Hitachi? depot, as the exam work required on the new EMUs will be undertaken by Hitachi at Craigentinney. Hitachi will We think that these questions need to be become the depot operator at Craigentinney before the IEP trains are introduced. Our contracts will be with answered by whatever means are at your Hitachi rather than the East Coast operator, Virgin/Stagecoach. The HST workload is envisaged to be split disposal. We are unsure of the protocol for between and Craigentinney. contacting the staff at present but it has We will confirm numbers of DMUs at Haymarket as soon as we are able to; and are fully committed to gone awfully quiet since the initial undertaking all levels of necessary consultation / negotiation / bargaining with your representatives at the announcement and this only leads to appropriate time. rumour and speculation (such as 8 class At the moment the mobilisation team is undertaking many different activities and as and when we are able to 158 and 4 class 170 leaving the fleet in the do so we will communicate more and more details about our future plans for the franchise. The channels we near future). We all want the best for the will use will include a website with Q&As on it, a freephone number to call us, a Facebook page and the business in the long term but obviously job opportunity to meet us face-to-face at roadshows – the exact dates are to be confirmed but likely to be towards security is very important to all of us. Thank the end of February. We will share more details with staff very soon, once all channels are set up and working. you for your time in advance.

page 6 of 8

Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

b) Uniforms and equipment for staff Question Answer NEW 15/01: Was wondering when new We've started the design and procurement process for new uniforms and, allowing for the manufacturing and uniforms will start being issued and will we delivery timescales, our intention is to replace the existing uniforms with new ones in the Autumn. also be getting new mobiles to replace the BlackBerry mobiles which First issue us We also plan to replace all the existing mobiles – and there are a lot – with new Smartphones, together with a with? number of apps that are being developed to help colleagues provide information and give even better customer service. Our proposed plan would see all of them replaced by the early Autumn.

That said, we’d like to stress that we will consult with the Trade Unions, staff representatives and employees on our plans and the arrangements for both the new uniforms and replacement mobiles before we can confirm final details. So, you should have an opportunity to raise any other concerns or questions about either subject in good time before plans are finalised.

NEW 20/01: Will we be getting a new We’ve started the design process for new uniforms and intend to seek feedback on the existing ones so that uniform for start of business on 1st April and we can finalise design and garment requirements. Our intention is to replace the existing uniforms in the can you tell us a bit about it i.e. colour and Autumn with new ones aligned to the branding and colours dictated by Transport in their specification what it consists of, also will we be asked for the franchise; in the meantime, we will issue new ScotRail name badges and ties/scarves to be worn from about our sizes or are you just going to go the start date. We've asked First ScotRail for the current sizing to help with order quantities, but from previous with the current information that First comments it seems like it may be a good idea to check those with staff before production! ScotRail currently hold? We will be formally consulting with staff representatives and Trade Unions officials on the various transfer arrangements, including our plans for uniforms, before we can confirm full details. You’ll be able to find details of any consultation meetings on the Abellio ScotRail employees pages, and we’d encourage you to speak to your representatives if you’d like them to raise any questions or concerns about uniforms at one of those meetings.

page 7 of 8

Question and Answer summary about the new franchise Version 5: last updated 20 January 2015

c) Other travel arrangements Question Answer NEW 19/01: Currently we have the option to We understand that these offers are part of a First Group travel initiative and are not valid for other train or purchase Friends and Family tickets with bus operators. As Abellio is a new owning group with a different portfolio of operations, the offers will no First ScotRail. I was just wondering if this longer be available from 1 April. would continue when we change to Abellio That’s not to discount the possibility that there may be offers in the future; in our franchise we ScotRail? have developed a similar arrangement for limited periods, where friends and family can purchase special fixed rate tickets for Northern services using coupons provided by our staff. However, such an initiative would be for the new franchise’s management team (rather than us as the mobilisation team) to decide after the transfer, as part of their revenue strategy. As you are probably already aware, we have agreed to continue the free ScotRail Smartcard concession for staff and their dependents in addition to the ATOC free and privilege travel facilities being provided for safeguarded and non-safeguarded staff, together with reciprocal travel concessions with the new operator of Caledonian Sleeper.

page 8 of 8