Inflation Rates Circular March 2010

Dear Colleagues,

Inflation Rates Circular

The March rates of RPI and CPI were published by the Office for National Statistics on the 20th April 2010. The next publication date is the 18th May 2010.

The March 2010 retail prices index rate is 4.4%. This is up from 3.7% in February. There was significant upward pressure to the change in the RPI annual rate from housing. This was driven mainly by mortgage interest payments which rose by 0.7 per cent this year but fell by 6.3 per cent a year ago following February 2009’s half point decrease in the Bank rate. Within housing, there was also a large upward effect from house depreciation, which rose this year but fell a year ago.

The Government’s preferred measure of inflation, CPI, is at 3.4%, up from 3% in February.

In pay submissions the RMT will continue to emphasise that your financial commitments have increased at a much greater rate than inflation and your living standards have suffered as a result.

Yours sincerely,


Bob Crow
General Secretary

Alex Gordon (National President) is Attending Waterloo Branch

To advise that newly elected National President will be attending Waterloo Branch on the 29th April 2010, alex will be addressing the Branch on National issues that are currently being dealt with by this Union.

Alex was supported by this Branch for the position he has taken up, it is the first time he has visited the Branch since being elected into this position.

So if you can please come along and raise your points at the Branch and to the President.

Eighth annual RMT Garden Party for Cuba

Tuesday June 22, Maritime House, Clapham, London

Special guests to be announced

Live music, food, free bar

Reserve the date!

Tickets at £15, available soon

John McDonnell MP writes to the BBC Director re slur on Bob Crow and the RMT

Today John McDonnell MP wrote personally to the BBC Director in relation to the false and slur statement that was made against the RMT General Secretary Bob Crow in relation to the result at the High Court yesterday in relation the Network Rail Ballot.
Our sponsored MP has requested that the statement that Bob Crow rigged the Ballot is retracted on television or give Bob the oppurtunity to put the RMT side forward...

You can see a copy of the letter sent by John by clicking the link on the left hand side of this website...

PRESS NOTICE-FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TRADE UNION COORDINATING GROUP

PRESS NOTICE....................PRESS NOTICE.............
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNIONS DEMAND RETRACTION OF BALLOT RIGGING SLUR AGAINST RMT…… BALLOT CONDUCTED BY ELECTORAL REFORM SOCIETY

Eight National Unions, who are represented by the Trade Union Coordinating Group, today demanded that the BBC make a full retraction and apology to Bob Crow and the RMT for the completely unsubstantiated allegation used by John Humphrys in his interveiw with Bob Crow on this morning's Today programme.

John McDonnell MP, Parliamentary Convenor of the TUCG, said: "How can a ballot conducted by the Electoral Reform Society be rigged? This was one of the most disgraceful biased performances of an interviewer and of the BBC itself in the history of the BBC and its treatment of trade unions."

"The Court case in which the RMT dispute was discussed did not infer ballot rigging but errors in the ballot making process. Under law, union ballots have to be conducted by an independent scrutineer. This ballot was sent out, counted and completely run by the Electoral Reform Society. The idea that ballot papers were sent out to derelict Signal Boxes is a complete myth; not a single ballot paper was sent out to any Signal Box or workplace. They were sent out by the ERS to RMT members’ homes.”

“For an allegation of ballot rigging to be made on the Today Programme is an appalling slur on both the union and Bob Crow himself and brings discredit on the whole of the BBC. We are demanding that a retraction is made by the BBC and an apology given and Mr Crow is given an opportunity to explain the RMT’s case without this biased interference."

Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary, said; “The real story here is not the actions of the RMT, which are clearly beyond reproach, but why we have laws in this country that make it virtually impossible for people to defend themselves.”

“Rather than slurring the RMT the BBC should be examining why bosses and judges have the power to prevent unions taking legitimate industrial action to defend their members. A full repeal of the anti-union laws introduced by Margaret Thatcher is long overdue.

“The right to strike is essential to any democratic society. If we forget that we are moving into very dangerous territory.”

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

The Trade Union Ccordinating Group brings together eight National Unions (BFAWU, FBU, NAPO, NUJ, PCS, POA, RMT & URTU) representing over half a million members to coordinate their campaigning work both in Parliament and beyond.

For further comment or interview:

Geoff Martin – RMT Press Officer; 07831 465103

John McDonnell MP: 07956 292576

Simeon Andrews, TUCG Coordinator: 07984 401032

NETWORK RAIL DESPUTE-UPDATE-INDUSTIAL ACTION CALLED OFF....

NETWORK RAIL INDUSTRIAL ACTION CALLED OFF FOR BOTH SIGNALLING STAFF AND ENGINEERING MEMBERS

As you are no doubt aware Network Rail, instead of negotiating with the union, decided to seek an injunction to stop next week’s industrial action by signalling and other operations staff going ahead. I am sorry to say the High Court today granted that injunction.

The matter has been considered by an emergency meeting of you full Council of Executives and they have made the following decision:-

“That we note the Court injunction granted against us today in regard to the signal workers action due to start on 6th April 2010.

We instruct the General Secretary to inform our members and Network Rail that the action is called off.

In regard to the infrastructure ballot and the action due to take place on 6th April 2010, as a result of today’s injunction we note that this ballot may also be unsafe in legal terms. The General Secretary is, therefore, instructed to call off all industrial action and inform our members and Network Rail.

This Council of Executives is of the view that this is a highly political judgement based on a further development of over two decades of vicious anti-trade union laws in the U.K.

We are concerned that Network Rail may have provided the High Court with false information today in their efforts to convince the Court of their case

RMT has acted on the latest legal advice and acts to protect its members, their jobs and terms and conditions.

Accordingly, the General Secretary is instructed to re-ballot all of our Operations and Infrastructure members as soon as practically possible. The General Grades Committee is to be reconvened on 7th April 2010 to lay down a timetable on this re-ballot and also to receive the full legal judgement from today’s Court decision.

The General Secretary is to ensure that our members are advised of this decision. We are still in dispute and are determined to fight on in defence of jobs, terms and conditions and for a safe railway.

The General Secretary is to inform Network Rail that we remain available to negotiate a settlement to both disputes; all union member and officers to be informed.”

I will write to you again shortly.

Yours sincerely,


Bob Crow
General Secretary