SWT-REDUNDANCIES-BALLOT TIMETABLE

South West Trains – redundancies – ballot timetable 24th February 2009 To ALL RMT members employed by South West Trains Dear Colleagues Further to my letter of 18th February 2009, I am now able to furnish you with a timetable for our ballot. Ballot papers will be dispatched first class to member’s homes on Tuesday 3rd March 2009. The ballot will close on Tuesday 17th March 2009. You will be able to see the result of this ballot on the RMT website (www.rmt.org.uk) following the close of the ballot on Tuesday 17th March 2009. If you have not received your ballot paper by 9th March 2009 or have any other query regarding the ballot then please contact the helpline on 0800 376 3706 or phone the main switchboard on 0207 387 4771 and ask for the Industrial Relations Department. I would be grateful if you could please make sure that your colleagues in your workplace are aware that RMT is balloting its members for strike action and should they not receive a ballot paper to also contact the above numbers. Talk to your colleagues and if any are not in the RMT then ask them to join – they need protection from these cuts and the only way they can have a voice is by being in the RMT. They too can phone the numbers above, join over the web or get an application form from a Representative. Finally I would like to urge you all to vote YES in this ballot, it is essential that we have a strong mandate to fight against job cuts, and providing a massive YES vote will make South West Trains lament their ill-conceived attack on our members. Pay I have now had sight of a leaflet that SWT has sent staff in which they state that the 2008 pay review has not been settled. Well let me quote directly from our letter to SWT which was faxed to them on the 17th February. “...inform you of the RMT’s acceptance of the 4.8% version of the pay deal. Please arrange to have the increase and any backpay implemented at the earliest pay packet.” That could not be any clearer and just goes to show how low this company will stoop to muddy the waters. Let me make it abundantly clear we ARE NOT in dispute over pay nor have we ever linked pay with redundancies. Say No to Redundancies Protect Your Jobs Vote “YES” For Strike Action Yours sincerely Bob Crow General Secretary