OCTOBER 2007 PAY UPDATE

Publication Date: April 3 2008 Circular No: IR/79/08 Dear Colleagues, RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2007 – SOUTH WEST TRAINS Following completion of negotiations for the 2007 claim for improvements to rates of pay and conditions of service, South West Trains tabled a package that provided for a pay increase as well as a reduction in the working hours for some grades. However, all this came at a considerable cost. The loss of terms and conditions including reduction / removal of Booking On / Off time, Reduction in Bank and Public Holiday Enhancements, Expansion of Duties, Increased ‘spare’ Flexibility and the loss of part of all of the year 2007 pay award seriously devalued any benefits in the reduction in the working week. The package was submitted to the General Grades Committee who instructed me to hold a referendum of all the groups involved with a recommendation to reject the package in favour of a straightforward 4.5% pay award being implemented and backdated. The referendum ballot closed on Thursday 27th March 2008 and the results are as follows: General Retail Fleet Returned Papers (360), Yes (29), No (331) Guards Returned Papers (507), Yes (46), No (461) Retail Returned Papers (174), Yes (17), No (157) TOTALReturned Papers (1041), Yes (92), No (949) Following this overwhelming result, the case was placed in front of the General Grades Committee who directed me to inform the company of the rejection of the offer and our acceptance of a straight 4.5% increase with effect from 1st October 2007. However, we will be making it abundantly clear that we retain the right to return to negotiations should any other union achieve an offer greater than 4.5%. Yours sincerely, Bob Crow GENERAL SECRETARY