2009 Pay Review- SWT

SOUTH WEST TRAINS - GENERAL PAY REVIEW OCTOBER 2OO9

I refer to discussions ot the lost pay meeting held on 20th October when I undertook to respond
to the further improvements requested by the trode unions present in relotion to the proposed
two year pay agreement. Having considered the offer, I confirm that SWT is prepared to
offer on improved two-year pay agreement, as follows:

1. Rates of Pay

To increase rates of pay and salories for all grade groups covered by SWT Procedure
Agreement '1, as follows:

Year I (5th October 2009)
Year 2 (4th October 2010)

Next pay review October 2o11 . The current rates of London & South East (and
associated Regional) Allowances to remain unchanged without increase.

-2-

2. Reduction in the Working Week - Guard Grades

For the guard grades, there is on option to consider taking a lower pay increase in
Year 2 of the agreement and a one hour reduction in the basic working week.

Should this option be exercised, the percentage pay increase in Year 2 (October
2010), os set out in clause I , will be reduced by an omount that is sufficient to fully
fund the extra cost to the business of the one hour working week reduction. The earliest
that the one hour reduction could take effect is the 2011 December timetable change.

The RMT will put this option to its.members in the guard grades in a referendum and
the union must notify SWT by 17th September 2010 at the latest, if this option is to be
exercised. The offer of this option is conditional upon there being a default position,
which is that if, for whatever reason, the option is not exercised, the Year 2 increase
set out in clause 1 will apply with no reduction in the working week.

3. Payment Arrangements

Employees in grades that continue to receive weekly payslips and payment by weekly
bank-credit transfer will transfer to four-weekly payslips and payment by four-weekly
credit transfer. lmplementotion date ond orrongements to be discussed and agreed.

4. SWT Travel Pass for Retired Staff

SWT is prepared to meet with the trade union,/company council representatives during
June 2010 (or as otherwise agreed) to discuss with the trade union aspirotions in relotion to
the SWT Travel Pass granted to retired staff.

Having met the further improvements sought by the trade unions present at the lost meeting,
this offer must be regarded as SWT's final position. For the driving grades, ASLEF's
aspirations for the pay review involve changes to Drivers terms ond conditions linked to
productivity improvements and discussion with ASLEF representatives on this aspect is ongoing.

SWT's oim for this yeor's poy review is to reoch on eorly ogreement ond I would emphosise
thot the offer is mode on the bosis thot there is eorly occeptonce from the irqde union porties.
As previously discussed, SWT will hove to review the pesition in the event thqt the troje unions
recognised for the vorious grode groups ore not in oll ogreement with the finol offer.

I look forward to your early response.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Welsby
Human Resources Director

2009 Pay Talks

To advise all that the RMT along with the other Trade Unions met on Tuesday 20th October to have further talks on the 2009 Pay Offer.

The Company advised that they would make a final revised offer based on a 2 Year Offer and this as below:

Year 1 2009- 1.5%

Year 2 2010- RPI +0.5% or 1% what ever the greater

We questioned the content of the Submission we submitted and wished for a response to this, the Company responded that they will write to the Trade Unions with the responses from the issues raised.

To advise that this Union will conduct a referendum to all members on this offer following a Report submitted to the Unions Executive by the Regional Organiser.......

Update on 2009 Pay Talks

To advise that following a further meeting with the Company today in relation to the pay talks for 2009, we can advise that the Company have presented a revised offer and this set out as below

Also to advise that it was raised with the Company if there will be any increases on London Allowances and the Company responded that there will be No increases on London Allowances.

They also advised us that due to the issues that all the Trade Unions were not interested in entering a Long term Deal on Pay this Year, they have put an offer for a 2 Year Offer because of this.....

2 Year Offer

1.25% For 2009
RPI + a Quarter % or 1% what ever the Greater is for 2010

We have said to the Company which was based on Agreement by all the 4 Trade Unions that we would only be interested in a 1 Year Deal, and would wish for the Company to improve their offer based on a 1 Year Deal only.

The Next Meeting has been arranged for the 20th October 2009.

We will advise you on further developments on this issue.

Pay Talks 2009

To advise that the RMT Negotiators along with the other trade Unions met with the Company on the 09th October 2009, and the Company have made an offer on the 2009 Pay, and the % payrise is as below, as you can see this is not acceptable and we the RMT have made this clear and said that this offer needs to be improved.

1 Year Deal Offer

• 1 quarter of a %

2 Year Deal Offer

• 0.75% for 2009
• RPI + one quarter of a % for 2010

3 Year Deal Offer

• 1% for 2009
• RPI + half a % for 2010
• RPI + half a % for 2011

This is an offer the RMT is not going to accept, and we have a further meeting with the Company on the 13th October to discuss this further.

We raised the point to the Company that they have not responded to any of the other Pay submission that we put forward, and they advised us that they would not go into discussion on this until the % part of the Talks have been resolved.

We will keep you updated on this issue.

2009 Pay Talks

Following on from the Pay Talks meeting on the 23rd September 2009, where your negotiators met with the Company to discuss the 2009 Pay award.

We were not given an oppening % offer at this meeting, but the RMT stated that we wanted an improved offer for all our members including improvment on Perternity and Mertanity and also to look at the lower Grades that we represent to insure that the gap does not widden when a percentage offer is given to this Grade Group.

A further Meeting has been arranged for the 09th October 2009, to discuss this further, more information will be added on this site after this meeting...

2009 Pay Talks

To advise all members that your RMT Negotiating team will be entering talks with the Company on the 2009 pay award, and this meeting will take place on the 23rd September 2009.

Your Negotiating team are:

Pete Gale (Regional Organiser)
Rickey Goodman (Company Council Rep)
Dave Butler (Company Council Rep)
Michael Campbell (Company Council Rep)

We will update you further on the outcome of this meeting and the update will appear on this site and correspondence will be issued to members on this issue....

Review of Local Reps Constituences (Retail)

:Sent to all Local Reps of the mentioned grades
:Copied to all Branch Secretaries

10/08/2009

FAO; RAIL OPERATOR, CLERICAL AND REVENUE PROTECTION LOCAL REPS

Dear Colleagues

REVIEW OF LOCAL STAFF REPRESENTATIVE CONSTITUENCIES

You will be aware I hope that due to the reorganisation within South West Trains we have had to reorganise some of the local reps constituencies.

This has been agreed with the company and I enclose a copy of the agreed local staff representative’s constituencies with grades and activities within retail company council. As part of this re-negotiation it was agreed with South West Trains that we would re-advertise all of the positions within these areas. That does mean that sitting local representatives who wish to continue in their role will have to re-apply with immediate effect.

I can only apologise for the inconvenience that this will cause but I do feel that it will be necessary, to start us off on the correct footing as regards to the re-organisation within the company. Any existing representative or indeed any member of the RMT who wishes to stand as a local representative, should with immediate effect see their local manager to obtain a nomination form. This must be completed as appropriate and returned as quickly as possible. If I can be of any assistance in this regard then please do not hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely


Pete Gale
Regional Organiser
Wessex Division
Mobile: 07946 386 762
E-Mail: p.gale@rmt.org.uk

Waterloo Branch News

To advise the Waterloo Branch has now got a Blog.....the site went live today to visit Waterloo Branch News please visit:

http://waterloormt.blogspot.com/

LDC Elections

As you are all aware the new LDC costituences have been agreed at Company Council Level, and these are now being advertised within the work place.

Those Reps wishing to stand as LDC Rep for their Constituency will need to obtain a nomination form from HR At Southampton and these need to be completed and sent back to Human Resources at Southampton Central.

The Closing date of these to be received is the 03rd August 2009, those sent in after this date will be still accepted.

SWINE FLU (Circular)

Dear Colleagues

SWINE FLU PANDEMIC

You will be aware that in recent weeks that there have been many news reports regarding the outbreak of a new strain of subtype H1N1 influenza, commonly called swine flu, hog flu or pig flu, and the fears that this disease may become a major global pandemic. In line with recent Government warnings the General Grades Committee has discussed the possible impact on RMT members. At their meeting of 15th July 2009 the General Grades Committee took the follow decision:-

“That we note the Government warnings on this issue and instruct the General Secretary to continue to make representations, including through our Parliamentary group to obtain Government guidelines to employers on dealing with the situation and to insist on the rights of this union to be fully involved in compiling such public guidelines. The General Secretary is instructed to arrange an Early Day Motion urging the Government to carry out these steps immediately.

The General Secretary is instructed to write to all employers where we have recognition rights or members employed requiring confirmation of the following:-

• 
  That they have a policy agreed with our Trade Union for dealing with pandemic influenza or a general policy covering major health incidents with full involvement and agreement from Trade Union and Trade Union representatives at the workplace in line with TUC guidance for unions (June 2009)
• 
  That where employers have “sickness absence” monitoring, or irregular attendance, or Managing for Attendance policies in place that these policies are suspended forthwith in light of the current serious situation
• 
  That employers agree in line with HSE and Government advice to “Advise staff to stay at home if they are sick with flu like symptoms and send home any employees who are displaying flu like signs or symptoms”
• 
  To meet with Trade Union representatives to agree leave arrangements for staff where appropriate
• 
  That where appropriate staff are given the opportunity and resources to work from home
  That risk assessments are carried out with full trade union involvement of whether staff are likely to be exposed in their work to members of the public, what measures can be taken to minimise contact, duration and frequency
• 
  That any staff requiring prescription anti viral and retro viral medicines should be directed to their GP or NHS provider
• 
  That employers responsible for public or staff toilets and washrooms agree to employ additional cleaning staff and introduce anti septic gel dispensers and hand wipes for staff and customers
  That immediate steps are agreed and implemented to ensure that public service vehicles (trains, coaches, ferries etc.) with washroom facilities are taken out of service unless the facilities are in working order
• 
  That employers notify all staff of those arrangements they have made to prepare for an outbreak of pandemic flu, including what role they expect individual staff to take. Staff should be provided with information (HSE, Dept of Health etc) about pandemic flu and the need for personal hygiene, with full involvement of Trade Union and Health & Safety reps.
• 
  All responses to be referred to our Health & Safety Subcommittee with this file for examination and report. GGC to be kept informed of all developments. The TUC guidelines and Department of Health advice to be made available via the RMT website, by email to all reps and activists via a circular to all Officers, Reps, Regional Offices and Regional Councils.
• 
  The General Secretary is instructed to prepare a press release in support of our Parliamentary Group’s EDM drawing attention to the particular difficulties faced by public transport members and demanding that employers suspend punitive attendance at work policies that could make the spread of flu pandemic worse. All branches and regional councils to informed as a matter of urgency.”

In line with the General Grades Committee decision I have attached the TUC guidance for Unions (June 2009) to this circular for the attention of Branch Officials and Health & Safety Representatives.

I am currently in the process of enacting the instructions from the General Grades Committee and I will write again soon with further information when it becomes available.
download attachment (pdf file)

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow

General Secretary

STAGECOACH RESULTS

SPECIALIST TRANSPORT union RMT today slammed the latest financial results of bus and rail company Stagecoach as they revealed that shareholders dividends are being increased while up to a thousand jobs on their South West Trains and East Midlands Trains franchises face the axe.

The Stagecoach figures show that overall operating profits rose by 11% to £227 million Interim dividends for shareholders have gone up from £9.5 million last year to £12.9 this year with final dividends going up from £28.9 million to £30 million.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said today:

“It’s a scandal that Stagecoach, with the connivance of the government, are jacking up their dividend payouts while up to a thousand of their rail staff are being threatened with being thrown on the scrapheap.

“Jobs are being axed, ticket office opening hours are being cut and all in the name of generating the maximum profit and dividends for the company’s shareholders.

“RMT repeats its call that there should be a moratorium on dividend payments across the transport sector while the threat of redundancy hangs over thousands of our members heads.”
Ends

PENSIONS-PAY SAVE

Circular No. NP088/09

4th June 2009

To: All Branches with South West Trains and Island Line members,
Regional Councils and Regional Organisers

Dear Colleague,

Introduction of PaySave (Salary Sacrifice) – South West Trains & Island Line

Management has written to employees advising that an arrangement called PaySave is being introduced with effect from 1st July. PaySave is another name for salary sacrifice.

PaySave allows employees and employers to save National Insurance contributions on their pension contributions through reducing the headline salary rate by the amount of their contribution to the pension scheme. Management are proposing that employees contributing to the Railways Pension Scheme (RPS) earning more than £6,750pa will be automatically opted in to the arrangement. Participation in PaySave does not affect other terms and conditions of employment and a number of companies have introduced such arrangements.

RMT policy is against salary sacrifice schemes as these effectively reduce the value of National Insurance contributions collected by the Treasury, which are, of course, used to fund the National Health Service and State Pensions. However, where such schemes are introduced we believe that any savings should be paid into the employer’s pension scheme, in this case the RPS, to improve the funding position and reduce contribution levels.

RMT is totally against employees being automatically opted-in to such schemes. Management should not automatically assume its employees wish to participate in the scheme. Whilst participation in PaySave will reduce members National Insurance contributions, the amount saved is insignificant when compared to the massive savings to be made by management. That is of course why employees are automatically opted-in and is just another example of companies increasing their profitability from the privatised railway industry.

I attach a copy of the South West Trains/Island Line opt-out form for use of members who wish to follow RMT policy and opt out of PaySave.

Yours sincerely


R. Crow

General Secretary