Pay

According to the latest official Retail Price Index, on average prices are now falling. But a closer look at the figures shows that the working-class cost of living is still rising.

Food prices went up 12.5% between February 2008 and February 2009. Eggs went up 11.2%, vegetables 18.6%, fruit 13%.

Fares and other travel costs went up 10.2% (January-January), gas 33.1%, electricity 18%.

The fall in the overall index comes from cheaper prices on clothing, car purchases, and “consumer durables” of all sorts, and from lower mortgage payments.

RMT Circular No IR.107/09

MEMBERS' WORKPLACE CONDITIONS, WELFARE & PAY – LONDON OVERGROUND RAIL OPERATIONS LTD

Further to my circular IR95/09 dated 19th March 2009, I can advise you that the General Grades Committee today took the following decision:-

“That we note the enhanced terms in the latest offer from LOROL and that a mass meeting of our members indicated support for acceptance.

We instruct the General Secretary to commence a referendum of our members with a recommendation to vote “yes” to accept the offer.

The new issue of 'RMT Platform' - RMT's newsletter for London Underground stations and revenue staff - condemns LUL's five-year pay 'offer', and urges all members to vote Yes in RMT's ballot for industrial action and to get involved in the union's campaigning.

It also reports on the pressure managers are putting on ticket sellers, advises members to submit grievances against snow day deductions, outlines the process for lifting the limit on transfer and promotion nominations and celebrates a victory for common sense and RMT!

Top LUL/Metronet boss Paul Tullet made a statement at the Metronet LUL Company Council on Friday 13 March which shows just what we are up against and why everyone must vote yes in the coming ballot for industrial action. At this meeting, management tabled the same 5-year pay offer that management of the rest of LUL had previously tabled - RPI plus 1% for '09 followed by RPi plus 0% for the following 4 years.

That is quite bad enough - a year-on-year real-terms pay cut - but Mr Tullet then went on to say ...

The figures for the most recent completed financial year (2007/08) revealed that ...

• Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy was paid more than £540,000: a salary of £334,720 plus a bonus of £115,200 and other benefits.
• Tim O'Toole, Managing Director of London Underground, received £283,254 and a bonus of £73,115.
• David Brown, Managing Director of Surface Transport, was paid £261,500 plus a bonus of £42,625.

From RMT head office circular No. IR/70/09, dated 5th March 2009

DEDUCTIONS FROM PAY OR LEAVE BECAUSE OF SNOW

Some LUL members have lost pay or a day’s leave because of heavy snow prevented them coming in to work on Monday 2nd February 2009. The fact of the matter is that TFL decided not to run the buses, so it is totally unfair to punish staff.

At the pay talks on Friday, London Underground blamed the recesession for their disgraceful 5 year slap in the face to all staff.

The Director for Employee Relations said "The severe downturn in the economy is having a major effect on all companies, and we are no different. Because of this uncertainty and the steep falls in interest rates and inflation, we have to plan for the risk to our future income. This makes entering into a process of negotiating pay increases extremely difficult."