Circular No IR/203/12

TO ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL OFFICES & REGIONAL COUNCILS

Our Ref: BR2/15/4

19^th April 2012

Dear Colleagues

JOINT OPERATION – TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES & NETWORK RAIL

Our South West Trains Representatives recently attended a meeting in relation to the formation of an “Alliance” between SWT and Network Rail. The General Grades Committee has had opportunity considered this matter and has taken the following decision:

“This union is appalled at the ‘Alliance’ project between South West Trains and Network Rail. This is a clear attempt to reintroduce the profit motive into track which led to previous railway disasters. We reject this policy and state our total opposition, we reiterate our policy for a publically accountable nationalised network, and that these alliances are part of the introduction of the McNulty report.

We note that Tim Shoveller has been appointed Managing Director of the SWT/NR Alliance Board. The General Secretary is instructed to continue the national campaign of protest against McNulty and to defend all jobs, terms and conditions of our members. We welcome that over 30 Trade Union Councils have responded to our campaign to highlight the devastation on our railway driven by greed infested profiteers, further we note that the TUC joint Trade Union campaign against McNulty is due to meet on the 16^th April 2012.

Further this General Grades Committee instruct the General Secretary to place the following matter before the next General Grades Committee ‘Industrial Strategy – McNulty Report’, this will enable this union to build a united industrial strategy to defend all jobs, pay and conditions in railway industry. The industrial campaign will involve Train Operating Companies, Infrastructure and Operations therefore the General Secretary is instructed to lead this campaign.”

Enclosed for your information purposes is a copy of South West Trains’ paperwork which includes a questions and answers document on the “Alliance” project. I would be obliged if you will bring this to the attention of your members.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary

Change of Branch Meeting time

To advise all that it has been necessary to change the times of the Branch Meetings, all future Branch Meetings will now start and finish as below, the venue of the Meetings remains the same.

                      BRANCH STARTS AT 14-45PM AND FINISHES AT 16-45PM  

New Inflation Rates

Head Office Circular No. NP/089/12

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 March 2012.

The Retail Price Index (RPI) stood at 3.6% for the year to March 2012, down 0.1% from the 3.7% figure to February 2012.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 3.5% for the year to March 2012, up 0.1% from the 3.4% figure to February 2011.

The ONS cited the prices of fruit, bread, cereals and meat as all rising slightly this year, whereas last year they had seen large falls.

In pay submissions the RMT will continue to emphasise that your financial commitments have increased at a greater rate than inflation and that your living standards are undermined by the current rates of inflation.

Yours Sincerely

Bob Crow,

General Secretary

Circular No IR/164/12

TO ALL BRANCHES, REGIONAL OFFICES & REGIONAL COUNCILS

Our Ref: BR2/15/4

27^th March 2012

Dear Colleague

REVENUE PROTECTION STRATEGY – SOUTH WEST TRAINS

Further to my Circular No IR/511/11 dated the 10^th November 2011 where I informed you that South West Trains were seeking volunteers from amongst the Revenue Protection Inspector (RPI) grades with a view to offering voluntary redundancy. I now write to advise you that the company are seeking volunteers for redundancy from amongst the Revenue Protection Assistant (RPA) grades at selected locations.

Therefore, this matter has again been subject to recent consideration by the General Grades Committee and their decision is as follows:

“That we note the report from our Regional Organiser and the correspondence from South West Trains on file.

The company has previously stated that the reduction from 60 Revenue Protection Inspectors to 27 could be achieved through ‘normal turnover’. This has clearly not been the case as South West Trains are now approaching Revenue Protection Assistants (RPA) in the Reading/Windsor, Mainline and Portsmouth areas informing them of the availability of voluntary redundancy in their grade.

Therefore, we instruct the General Secretary to write a personal letter to all affected members assuring them that this union will not tolerate any pressure put on individuals to request voluntary redundancy.

Relevant Branches and Regional Councils to be informed.”

In accordance with the above, I am now acting on the instruction of the GGC decision and I will, of course, keep you fully advised on any further developments.

Best wishes.

Bob Crow

General Secretary

Peter Gale – Wessex Regional Organiser

Ref: 0/9/1

Circular No. MF/29/12

5^th April 2012

To: All Branches and Regional Councils

Dear Colleagues,

Peter Gale – Wessex Regional Organiser

Further to Circular No. MF/16/12, 9^th February 2012, I am pleased to advise that following Peter Gale’s gradual return to work on Monday 13^th February, he will recommence his full duties as Regional Organiser for the Wessex Region on Tuesday 10^th April.

I would like to place on record my thanks to Peter Skelly, Relief Regional Organiser (South), for covering the position and all the work carried out during this period. Following Peter Gale’s full return, Peter Skelly will return to his former post.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary