Pay

From the Bakerloo branch newsletter

Capitalism is in crisis: world markets collapse, banks are part nationalised and the government bails out big business to the tune of billions of pounds. Naturally the talk in the mess room is "what's happening with the pay negotiations?"

It is entirely rational that workers on the tube want to safeguard our livelihood during this time. Many workers will be mortgaged up to the eyeballs and seeing their homes sink into negative equity on a daily basis.

But will London's tube workers be treated as favourably as London's bankers?

by Vaughan Thomas, RMT Trains Council

National and local media often accuse Tube drivers of being overpaid and under worked. Whenever we have a dispute they trot out the old refrain that a trained monkey could do our job, and it’s about time that the Mayor took on the unions! Flogging’s too good for the likes of us!

They compare us to underpaid workers in the emergency services: the nurses, paramedics and firefighters and say we should be grateful for what we’ve got. How dare we ask for more!

The first issue of your RMT Region's new-look quarterly newsletter is out now, and has been mailed to every member at home. It urges members to get ready for the battle ahead to win a decent pay rise; to defend workmates who face victimisation; and to support and unite local disputes in defence of jobs and against management bullying.

Click on the file name below to view, download and/or print it.

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.

The highest-paid director’s earnings:

• London Underground £522,123 (2007)
• Metronet £212,947 (2006/7)
• DLR £136,833 (2007/8)
• CBS Outdoor £477,000 (2006)

TfL’s Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy’s salary: £320,000 + up to 50% bonus (2006)

Tube Lines: 15 Directors, average salary £660,000+ (2007)

by Steve Hedley, RMT London Transport Regional Council Secretary

Talks start soon about your next pay rise. You deserve a decent rise, and your union, RMT, is determined to fight for that.

You need 20% more money to fill up. The staples of life - bread, rice, milk, other food - are rocketing in price. According to the Daily Telegraph, food prices are accelerating at their fastest rate since records began, increasing the average family’s annual shopping bill by £750.

RMT MEETING TO DISCUSS THIS YEARS PAY CLAIM AND THE VICTIMISATION OF REPS AND ACTIVISTS

Monday 13 October, 18:30, Friends House, 173 Euston Road (opposite Euston Station).

We are coming up to the time when the RMT will be discussing your next pay deal with the employers. We are seeking your views on what the pay claim should be and are asking you to attend this meeting to have your say on your future. As a democratic organisation we seek our members’ opinions on all important items and this is your chance to take part in this essential discussion.

The following is a report of the organisational conference on 29 August requested by branches and facilitated by the Region.

The day began with a general assessment of some recent disputes, including those involving TfL, Metronet, Tubelines, and the fight against Casualisation within LUL, with a view to establishing what the union did well and where it did badly.

Positives

The Regional Council meeting on Thursday 29 May 2008 unanimously adopted the following resolution from Stratford no.1 branch ...

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This Regional Council believes that our campaign for next year's LUL pay claim starts now. We believe that the first stage is to conduct a democratic debate as to what our claim should be. We therefore resolve that:

• RMT LUL branches should discuss what they think the claim should be at their meetings in June and/or July and forward proposals to the Regional Council.