New Inflation Rates

Head Office Circular No. NP/0165/12

To the Secretary all Branches,

Council of Executive members,

Regional Councils and Regional Offices.

Tuesday 17^th July 2012

Dear Colleagues,

New Inflation Rates

The Office of National Statistics has just published new inflation figures for the twelve months to June 2012. The inflation figures for the year to July 2012 will be published on 14^th August.

The Retail Price Index (RPI) stood at 2.8% for the year to June 2012, down 0.3% from the 3.1% figure to May 2012.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 2.4% for the year to May 2012, down 0.4% from the 2.8% figure to May 2012.

According to the ONS, the falls in the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages exerted the most significant downward pressure on both rates of inflation between April and May. The cost of motor fuels also had a negative impact on the CPI rate.

RMT pay submissions will continue to emphasise that your financial commitments have increased at a greater rate than inflation and that your living standards are undermined by this disparity.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary

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

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."