Rates of Pay & Conditions of Service 2011 – South West Trains

Our ref: BR2/0001/SWT

20^TH July 2012

Dear colleague,

Rates of Pay & Conditions of Service 2011 – South West Trains

(Includes Olympic Payment Agreement)

I write further to my correspondence dated 19^th July 2012 in which I informed you of the result of the ballot regarding the above matter.

I take this opportunity to congratulate you and your colleagues on sending such a strong message to management that they cannot just ignore the impact the Olympics games will have on your working life.

Your union’s Executive met to discuss the way forward and have taken the decision to call industrial action short of a strike at the times set out below:

• All members are instructed not to work any overtime or rest days between 00.01 hours on Friday 27^th July 2012 and 23.59 hours on Sunday 12^th August 2012

• This action does not include pre-rostered Sunday turns for all Retail/Unrestructured Staff.

We have informed the company of this decision and of the fact that your union remains available for talks to resolve this dispute.

We must show the company that their unreasonable expectations for you to take on extra work during the Olympics without any recognition from them is not acceptable. I urge you and your colleagues to stand strong and stand together, unity is strength.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

Lies, Damned Lies & SWT's Olympic Lies

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow is at Waterloo Branch

To advise that Bob Crow RMT General Secretary is in attendance at Waterloo Branch on the 26th July 2012, Bob will address the meeting and update on all issues being dealt with at National level, and will also report on the current SWT Dispute.

If you can please come along and hear your elected officer update you and your opportunity to raise any issues or questions you have.

RMT begins Olympics payments ballots on three main train services this week

www.rmt.org.uk

NEWS RELEASE

July 2 2012

Immediate

RMT begins Olympics payments ballots on three main train services this week

RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that balloting for strike action and action short of a strike will begin this week on three main train services:

* South West Trains

* Greater Anglia

* First Great Western

Ballot papers will be sent to members this week with the votes closing on thursday 19th July.

The ballots come as RMT confirmed that it has now concluded substantial recognition and reward agreements on First Capital Connect, C2C, Chiltern, East Midlands Trains and East Coast to add to the industry benchmarked deals on Heathrow Express, Virgin, Network Rail, DLR and London Underground amongst others.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

"With deals now concluded that recognise the massive additional effort of the workforce on the vast majority of transport operators it is a scandal that SW Trains, Greater Anglia and First Great Western have decided to try and force their staff to work longer and harder for little or nothing in return.

"We all want the Olympics to be a success but we cannot have fairness on some train companies and a slap round the face on others.

"It is rail staff who will be sticking in the extra work required to deliver the transport challenge of the Olympics, these train companies will be making a killing from the extra passengers and services and they should have the decency to match the best practice on payments across the rest of the industry.

"RMT is campaigning for a massive yes vote in these ballots and we remain available for meaningful talks to resolve these disputes mindful that the clock is ticking down."

Special Meeting-RMT in dispute with SWT-Olympics Payment

To advise all that Bob Crow (RMT General Secretary) will be in attendance to address the Meeting on Tuesday 03rd July 2012 Start at 18-30pm, venue is below.

Bob will be addressing the Meeting in relation to South West Trains moving outside the 2011 Pay Agreement by trying to implement special rosters and declining leave during the Olympic period after committing to say as part of the agreement that it would be business as usual and normal Arrangements will apply for all SWT Staff.

The RMT have served notice of ballot to South West Trains, and the ballot will open on Thursday 06th July 2012, and will be sent to all members home addresses.
We have had reports that Managers are going around speaking to members of staff asking them how they are going to vote, this is a private and secure ballot and members should not be put under pressure by SWT. the RMT negotiators are available at an time to meet South West Trains management to discuss this issue with them, but their response at a meeting a few weeks ago was that there is no more money, and stated to us “Go and have your Ballot, and then said that they will do everything they can to stop it.
We would urge all members to Vote Yes for Industrial Action and Action short of Strike…..
Come along to this important meeting and hear your National Officers address the Meeting and to give you a current update on this Dispute, and will give you the opportunity to ask questions.

Venue
Windsor Castle Public House
Exit St Johns Entrance from Clapham Junction Station turn right outside  and the venue is 3 minutes walk from the entrance.

Tuesday 03rd July 2012
Start Time 18-30pm
http://www.facebook.com/events/124478924360196/

Transport bosses average £1 million pay

www.rmt.org.uk

NEWS RELEASE

June 27, 2012

Transport bosses average £1 million pay

The bosses of the ‘big five’ private transport operators have pocketed an average £1 million each in pay, bagging an aggregate pay rise worth a shade shy of 20 per cent, according to their most recent company accounts, a study by transport union RMT reveals today.

As bus and rail passengers face fares hikes of a minimum of six per cent and service cuts, the news that transport bosses have followed the city trend to give themselves bumper pay packages will be greeted with anger and dismay, the union says.

Deepest in the trough was National Express boss Ray O’Toole, whose 110 per cent pay hike took him to £1.3 million.

Not far behind was Brian Souter, the Stagecoach chief whose £1.2 million pay last year was 35 per cent more than the year before – and that’s on top of his £51 million share of the £340 million dividend the company paid out, days after increasing some rail fares by as much as 13 per cent.

Arriva Group boss David Martin saw his pay increase by just under eight per cent to £803,000. Go-Ahead Group chief Keith Ludeman suffered a pay cut – but still walked away with £1.2 million, while Tim O’Toole of First Group had to make do with only £579,000.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said:

“These figures show once more that it is one rule for working people and another for their bosses.

“It is an absolute disgrace for transport bosses to be shovelling these vast sums into their own bank accounts when passengers are being fleeced and rail and bus workers are being told to tighten their belts, work harder and face losing tens of thousands of jobs.

“RMT has said from the start that transport privatisation boils down to a crude device for converting public subsidy into private profit, but these telephone-number salaries are an insult to passengers and transport workers alike.”

ends

Further information: Derek Kotz, 07939 595 092

Notes to editors: Figures taken from most recent company accounts:

Company Highest-paid director

National Express Group Ray O'Toole £1.3 million (31 December 2010)
(£644,000 in Dec 2009 +110.5%)

Rail franchises: c2c

Stagecoach Group Brian Souter £1.2 million (30 April 2011)
(£897,000 in Apr 2010 +35%)

Rail franchises: South West Trains, East Midlands Trains

Arriva Group David Martin £803,000 (31 Dec 2010)
(£743,635 Dec 2009 +7.9%)

Rail franchises: Arriva Trains Wales, Cross Country Trains

Go-Ahead Group Keith Ludeman £1.1 million (2 July 2011)
(£1,240,000 Jul 2010 -6.6%)

Rail franchises: Southeastern, Southern, London Midland

First Group Tim O’Toole £579,000 (31 Mar 2011)
(£643,000 Mar 2010 - 9.9%)

Rail franchises: First Capital Connect, First Great Western, First Hull Trains, Transpennine Express, ScotRail

RMT in Dispute with South West Trains

Special Branch Meeting Poster