Saturday, November 19, 2011

Special Meeting for all Rail Workers (McNulty Report)

To advise all that a Special Meeting for all Rail Workers has been arranged in light of the McNulty Report, and this meeting will take place on the 01st December 2011 and will start at 17-00pm.

The Special Guests who will be addressing this meeting are:

Bob Crow (RMT General Secretary)

Alex Gordon (RMT National President)

Kate Hoey (Labour Member of Parliament for Vauxhall)

Manuel Courtes (TSSA A ssistant General Secretary)

This important Meeting will take place in the Function room of the Slug and Lettuce Restaurant at Waterloo (London), the venue from Waterloo Main Line Station is from Exit 6 and head for the London Eye and the Venue is on the approach road to this.

If you require further Information please contact 1 of the Branch Secretaries below:

Rickey Goodman( Waterloo Branch Secretary)

Mobile: 07824 410 568

e-mail: waterloo@rmt.org.uk

or

Jeff Slee (Deptford Branch Secretary)

Mobile: 07984 043 543

e-mail: jfslee@btopenworld.com

You can also click on the Links below for more information:

http://www.facebook.com/RMTunion

http://twitter.com/#!/RMTunion

http://www.rmt.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=151889&int1stParentNodeID=89731&int2ndParentNodeID=89763

http://www.facebook.com/events/#!/events/256340177746879/

 

Hope to see you there.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

New Inflation Rates

Tuesday 15th November 2011

Circular No. National Policy 194/11/MC

To the Secretary all Branches,

Council of Executive members,

Regional Councils and Regional Offices.

Dear Colleagues,

New Inflation Rates

The Office of National Statistics has just published new inflation figures for the twelve months to October 2011.

The Retail Price Index (RPI) for this twelve monthly period is 5.4%, down from the 5.6% figure for the twelve months to September 2011.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 5.0% for the twelve months to October 2011. This is down 0.2% from the figure for the twelve months to September 2011.

The largest downward pressures came from falls in the cost of food and petrol. Partially offsetting these were upward pressures from clothing, furniture, electricity and gas.

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

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Bob Crow,

General Secretary

Friday, November 4, 2011



To advise the RMT General Secretary Bob Crow is in attendance at the Branch Meeting on the 24th November 2011, Bob will be addressing the Branch on National issues that are being dealt with by the RMT



If you can please come along and listen to your General Secretary address the Branch Meeting, and for you to ask questions about your issues as a member.



Hope to see you there!!

DEDUCTION OF WAGES – SELECT SERVICE PARTNERS

Circular No IR/492/11

TO ALL RAILWAY BRANCHES, REGIONAL OFFICES, REGIONAL COUNCILS

Our Ref: HC/9/17

4th November 2011

Dear Colleague

DEDUCTION OF WAGES – SELECT SERVICE PARTNERS

I have been informed that Select Service Partners are making reductions to our members’ rate of pay as a result of failing a so called Team Leader Assessment. Furthermore, the company are terminating our members’ current contracts of employment and telling them to sign new terms and conditions prior to any negotiations taking place with this union. I herewith enclose a copy of the letter the company are issuing to SSP employees, which is as follows:

“Dear XXXX

I refer to our discussion on XXXX where we discussed the issue of changing your role and rate of pay following the Colleague Structure Review Assessments. I write to confirm that your current contract will terminate on four weeks time and you will thereafter be employed as a Team Member. All other current terms and conditions of employment, save as to your rate of pay which will be £6.08p remain unchanged. For the avoidance of doubt the changes below will be effective from 17.11.2011.

The Job Description for the Team Member role you will be expected to perform is enclosed.


Your New Role and Job Title: Team Member

Your New Hourly Rate of Pay: £6.08p

Please keep this letter with your current contract of employment and sign, date and return to XXXX the enclosed copy of this letter.

I XXXX agree to the above terms.

Signed: ...........................................................................................................................

Dated: ...........................................................................................................................”

In this regard, I would ask that any SSP member who may find themselves in such a position, to complete and return to their manager, a copy of the enclosed ‘under protest’ slip. Additionally, all affected members should submit a grievance to their manager without delay.

In accordance with the above, I would be most grateful if you could bring this very important matter to the attention of all your SSP members and ask that they contact their Branch Secretary or Regional Office to request an application for legal assistance, Employment Tribunal Claim Form (L2) and submit a claim for ‘the unlawful deduction of wages’ with immediate effect.

I shall, of course, keep you fully advised on any further developments.

Yours sincerely

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BOB CROW

GENERAL SECRETARY

Dear Colleagues

RMT & TSSA MERGER

With reference to the above, I can confirm that the following statement was issued by Gerry Doherty and Bob Crow today:

JOINT UNION STATEMENT ON RMT/TSSA TALKS – No. 7

“TSSA and RMT held discussions on 4, 11 and 18 October 2011 concerning the possible merger and creation of a new union.  These discussions have been wide-ranging and constructive as reported in our previous statements.

A number of differences between our two organisations have emerged as a result of these discussions and as previously reported in our last JOINT UNION STATEMENT ON RMT/TSSA TALKS – NO.6 (dated Wednesday 19 October 2011) further discussions are required.

In order to facilitate future discussions it is likely that an informal joint meeting of our respective Executive Committees will take place within the next month prior to the next round of joint talks. We will of course keep you updated on developments as they occur.”

SIGNED:

Gerry Docherty (TSSA)

Bob Crow (RMT)”

Thursday, November 3, 2011

RMT Pay Bulletin October 2011

Circular No. NP/200/11/MC

31st October 2011

H.O. Ref: R14/5

TO: ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL COUNCILS, REGIONAL OFFICES,

COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES & HO OFFICERS.

Dear Members,

RMT PAY BULLETIN

October 2011

The Office of National Statistics has just published new inflation figures for the twelve months to September 2011.

The Retail Price Index (RPI) for this twelve monthly period is 5.6%, up from the 5.2% figure for the twelve months to August 2011.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 5.2% for the twelve months to September 2011. This is up 4.5% from the figure for the twelve months to August 2011.

The largest upward pressure to annual inflation came from:

Housing & household services where the upward effect was driven by gas and electricity

where average bills rose this year by 13.0 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively between

August and September but were unchanged a year ago.

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.

Recent non-RMT settlements

Company /Sector

Award

Effective From

Sainbury’s

· 2.7% increase to basic pay

4 Sept 2011

Sellafield

· 2% increase in basic pay (in each of 2 years)

1 Apr 2011

Moto

· 2.5 increase to basic pay

1 Oct 2011

Recent RMT Settlements

Company

Award

Effective From

Shipping & Offshore

Offshore Diving Personnel

· 7.1% increase to basic pay

1 Nov 2011

Maersk Supply Vessels

  • A 4.5% increase to basic pay, effective 1st July 2011.
  • A 4.5% increase to increment scales from £334 to £349 per year per increment on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th years of anniversary in the rank

1 Jul 2011

Gulf Offshore

  • A 3% increase, plus 1% seniority for those members who are entitled to receive it, backdated to 1st July 2011.

1 Jul 2011

Caldedonian MacBrayne

  • An increase of 2%, effective from 1st October 2011.
  • An increase of 4.25% in 2012.
  • An increase of 4.25% in 2013 with an opportunity to increase this to 4.75% dependant on the achievement of agreed savings being made by year three.
  • It is agreed that if RPI is above 5% in years 2 or 3, the Union reserves the right to reconvene with the employer.
  • A reduction in the method of payment for training days from 2 for 1, to 1.5 for 1 with the understanding that 0.5 must be taken as payment and may not be banked. This would be implemented from 1st January 2012.
  • The Company has set aside £800,000 in year 1 and £100,000 in years 2 and 3. This is to start to resolve existing anomalies in pay and conditions and to work towards a shared objective of consistent, fair and affordable terms and conditions within CalMac.

1 Oct 2011

Clyde Marine (LD Lines)

  • A 2.7% increase to personnel employed by Clyde Marine Guernsey Ltd employed on the LD Lines vessel Norman Arrow, backdated to 1st August 2011.
  • A £400 bonus for those employed on an ongoing basis for work completed over the winter and during the summer season.
  • A £200 bonus for those employed on a seasonal basis who successfully complete the entire summer season.

1 Aug 2011

DFDS Seaways Short Sea Ratings

  • A 2% increase, backdated to 1st January 2011.

1 Jan 2011

RFA

  • A one year award from 1st July 2011 to 30th June 2012.

  • Staff earning £21,000 or below, (including permanent allowances) as at 1st July 2011 will receive a £250 consolidated pay rise.

  • Staff earning £21,000 or above (including permanent allowances) will receive no award in accordance with the Government pay freeze.

  • Staff on incremental pay scales (below the maximum) will receive their incremental pay progression during this pay year.

Performance Awards

To qualify for a performance award an individual:-

  • Must be in post on 1st July 2011.
  • Must have completed 6 months service with the RFA (contract start date prior to 1st January 2011).
  • Must be performing satisfactorily (an individual on restoring efficiency for performance will not qualify for an award).

Performance awards will be paid in relation to substantive grade and staff on sick leave will be paid in accordance with their pay status as at 1st July 2011:-

  • Full Pay – Full Award
  • Half Pay – Half Award
  • Nil Pay – No Award

Performance Awards will be paid at the following rates:-

  • CPO (incl. Med Tech Q) £1,000
  • PO (incl. Med Tech) £900
  • L/H Rating £800
  • Trainee £400

1 July 2011

London Transport & Other Metro

London Underground

· Year 1 (2011/12) 5% (with effect from 1st April 2011)

· Years 2 to 4 (2012/13 to 2014/15) – February RPI plus 0.5% or 2% whichever is the greater.

· The general increase is effective from 1st April for each year of the pay deal (except for staff on Performance Related Pay, where it will be effective 1st July every year).

1 Apr 2011

Train Operating Companies & Freight Operating Companies

Cross Country

· An increase of 4.5%, effective from 28th May 2011. This will cover the grades of Train Manager, Senior Conductor, Revenue Protection and Station Staff.

· An increase of 4.5% for all Service Centre Staff, effective from 1st July 2011.

1 May 2011

Workshop & Train Maintenance

Unipart Doncaster

· 2.5% increase to basic pay

· Reduction in HGD payments from 10% to 5%

Members will not be affected by the reduction in HGD payments contained within the offer as they do not work any Higher Grade Duty.

1 Apr 2011

Road Transport & Bus

Wincanton Enfield Warehouse

· The offer is subject to the acceptance of a new contract on site for new starters, effective immediately.

Year One

· A 3.4% increase over 7 months, effective from the 1st pay week in September 2011.

Year Two

· A 2.5% increase, effective from the 1st pay week in April 2012.

September 2011

Yours sincerely,

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Bob Crow

General Secretary