New Inflation Rates

Tuesday 14^th February 2012

Head Office Circular No. NP/032/12

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 January 2012. The next release date will be the 20^th March 2012.

The Retail Price Index (RPI) stood at 3.9% for the year to January 2012, down 0.9% from the 4.8% figure to December 2011.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 3.6% for the year to January 2012, down 0.6% from the 4.2% figure to December 2011.

RPI has fallen to the lowest rate it has been since February 2010 when it stood at 3.7%. The largest downward pressures to the change in RPI annual inflation between December 2011 and January 2012 came from motoring expenditure, alcoholic drinks, food, and tobacco.

The largest downward pressures to the change in CPI in annual inflation between December 2011 and January 2012 came from fuels & lubricants, products bought in restaurants & cafes, tobacco, vehicle maintenance & repair, the purchase of new vehicles and alcoholic beverages. Annual CPI inflation has fallen by 1.2% since November 2011, the biggest fall over a period of two consecutive months since October and December 2008.

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

NETWORK RAIL AND SOUTH WEST TRAINS

TO: THE SECRETARY

ALL BRANCHES & REGIONAL COUNCILS

EXECUTIVE & HO OFFICERS

Circular No. NP/026/12

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

NETWORK RAIL AND SOUTH WEST TRAINS

I write to report on the meeting I attended with Network Rail yesterday. The company outlined their proposal that, as of the 1st April 2012, an alliance will be set up between Network Rail and South West Trains to make the infrastructure and TOCs work in better cooperation.                  

Of course this is McNulty being rolled out.  The company said the employees’ contract would not change and they have not got a safety case yet.  We demanded our representatives are fully consulted and their proposals are not rolled out until fully agreed. 

But quite clearly the foundations are being laid for one of these alliances because the South West Trains’ one is only a trial to be sold off completely to the private sector.                               

We stipulated our policy of full nationalisation but if we could not achieve that then Network Rail should be allowed to run a TOC.  This could then lay the foundations to run all TOCS eventually.      

Yours sincerely,

Bob Crow

General Secretary

 

NATIONAL UNION OF RAIL, MARITIME & TRANSPORT WORKERS

GENERAL GRADES COMMITTEE

Ref:

Subject

BR2/0001/SWT

Rates Of Pay And Conditions Of Service 2011 – South West Trains

That we note the referendum\ballot result is a s follows:-

Total votes cast                     ...................866

Number voting “Yes”             ..................770.

Number voting “No”              ..................96..

Spoilt Papers                        ....................0

We note the referendum result and accordingly instruct the General Secretary to inform the Company of our acceptance of the offer.

Relevant Branches and Regional Councils to be informed.

Date

Decision

Absentees

7/2/12

CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE INFORMATION STRATEGY – SOUTH WEST TRAINS

Circular No IR/61/12

To All Branches, Regional Offices & Regional Councils

Our Ref: BR2/15/1

2nd February 2012

Dear Colleagues

CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE INFORMATION STRATEGY – SOUTH WEST TRAINS

I have received proposals from South West Trains to transfer the Customer Service Centre at Southampton into Stagecoach Services Ltd. The company are proposing that all future employees are to be employed on Stagecoach Services Ltd terms and conditions and are asking staff to sign individual acceptance letters. SWT are also unwilling to guarantee recognition for this union and our sister union TSSA at Southampton Customer Service Centre and the company does not recognise this transfer as falling under the TUPE Regulations.

The General Grades Committee has considered this matter and has taken the following decision:

“That we note the report on file and the serious implications the company’s proposals could have on our members. The setting up of Stagecoach Service Ltd is clearly a manoeuvre by the company to create a two tier workforce, that has no other remit than to reduce terms and conditions.

Therefore we instruct the General Secretary to take this issue up with SWT immediately and for a full report to be placed back before us at the earliest opportunity. Further we instruct the General Secretary to obtain a legal opinion on the full proposals and for this opinion to be placed back before us within fourteen days. Relevant Branches and Regional Councils to be informed.”

I will now be acting on the instructions of this decision and I will keep you advised of any developments.    

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary