Claim for Parity Payments - Shift Tester Members - EDF Powerlink

Circular No. IR 245/08 from RMT head office, Publication Date: October 9 2008

Dear Colleagues

CLAIM FOR PARITY PAYMENTS – SHIFT TESTER MEMBERS – EDF POWERLINK

Last week talks broke down at ACAS (the Government backed conciliatory service) between RMT and EDF Powerlink. The dispute centres on a change to the Shift Tester members 12 hour shift roster from the current 10 hour day and 14 hour nights.

This has caused our members massive difficulties and now affects their work life balance. Our members believe that this change and the inconvenience that it has caused are unacceptable and they should be recompensed.

In previous years, the company recognised DAY staff by giving them £3000 incorporated into their salary for zonal booking ON and OFF. The shift staff just want the same.

We believe our members will recognise that it is vital to push for greater increases in their salary and will recognise the benefits later in life when they retire, rather than look for an increase in overtime pay, which is not pensionable and open to the variations in workload and budget constraints. Our members no longer want "jam tomorrow"

As we have not been able to reach an agreement through negotiation and talks have now broken down at ACAS because of EDF Powerlink’s refusal to accept parity pay for our shift workers, RMT is balloting all its Shift Tester members in EDF Powerlink for strike action and industrial action short of strike.

RMT demands the following:

1. A salary increase of £3,000 to take final the salary to £37,990 2. This salary to be £24,771 basic plus the rest as a shift allowance 3. This would see NO increase in overtime rate 4. An agreement to give zonal booking ON and OFF

RMT will remain in dispute with EDF Powerlink until such time as these demands are satisfactorily resolved.

Ballot papers will be dispatched first class to member’s homes on the opening day of the ballot which will be Thursday 16th October 2008 and must be returned no later than first post on Tuesday 28th October 2008, if you are aware of any members who are entitled to vote but have not received a ballot paper by Wednesday 22nd October 2008, please can they contact the member’s helpline or the industrial relations group directly.

All eligible members are encouraged to vote YES for strike action and YES for industrial action short of strike.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow GENERAL SECRETARY