Newsletter: February, 2010

East London Rail Branch News Vol II Issue 5 February 2010

1

NETWORK RAIL CURRENTLY DELIGHTSndash IN ITS DEALINGS WITH THIS

UNIONndash in mealy mouthed words of semi-agreement and pacification

while ignoring the basic issue at stake They have now gone one step

further and sacked a loyal dedicated hard-working Branch member

who has held many positions within the Branch structure for and on

behalf this and other Branches and fundamentally an ACTIVIST who this Union can ill-afford to lose

THEREFORE NETWORK RAILndash WE SERVE YOU PERSONAL NOTICE ALL BETS ARE

NOW OFF THIS WILL NOT BE SUFFERED IN SILENCE OR WITHOUT LOSS TO YOU We may look concerned to the future knowing what happened last time a Railway Company sacked a comrade

of this Branch but well might they look more fearfully for what ever they sow so shall they reap THEY WILL

PAY AND PAY AGAIN FOR THEIR ARROGANT BUT INEFFECTUAL DISMISSAL OF ONE OF OUR LADS

We refute the claim that they are merelyndash and bdquoregretfully‟- following bdquoprocedure‟ they have sacked an RMT

Representative they have sacked a Health and Safety Representative we refute any claim that does not recog-

nise this dismissal as what it isndash part of the spider‟s-web of betrayal hypocrisy and deceit that has emanated

from the aptly named bdquoBlack Tower‟ one Melton Street since the current dispute started (which incidentally in-

cluded LYING to the Governmentndash so do not hold your breath for any truth or honesty to RMT members in the

near future) DAMN YOU PRIVATEERS DO YOU NEVER LEARN

SACKED

Chair John Clarkendash 07795237318 Secretary Ed Shinendash07940340128

0626 East London Rail

National Union of Rail Maritime amp Transport Workersrsquo GENERAL SECRETARY Bob Crow

Branch News Email eastlondonrailrmtorguk

NEXT BRANCH MEETING TUESDAY 16th FEBRUARY 2010 1700 HOURS

The Railway Tavern Public House (Conservatory room) Angel Lane

Stratford London E15hellip CONTACT THE SECRETARY FOR DETAILS

GLENN WALLISndash SIGNALLERndash

RMT REPRESENTATIVE- BRANCH

MEMBER AND COMRADE


2




REORGANISATION OF NETWORK RAIL

MAINTENANCE (PHASE 2 BampC)

The following meeting (and many others around the

country including Three Bridges Birmingham Pre-

ston Newcastle Plymouth Cardiff Ashford Bristol

Penzance Doncaster Edinburgh and Exeter) has

been arranged to discuss Network Rail‟s job cuts

and planned Phase 2 BampC reorganisation These

meetings are an opportunity for all members to hear

from your national officials regional organisers

Council of Executive members and area and local

reps and for everyone to voice their opinions

Thursday 11th

February 1700

St Aloysius Church Hall

20 Phoenix Road

Euston

London NW1 1TA

Bob Crow General Secretary

Alex Gordon RMT President

COMRADESndash PLEASE BRING THIS TO THE

ATTENTION OF ANY NETWORK RAIL COL-

LEAGUES YOU KNOW WHO WOULD BE IN-

TERESTED IN ATTENDING BUT ALSO POINT

OUT THE FOLLOWING THAT THE COM-

PANY- Refuse to give further assurances about no

compulsory redundancies beyond 2010

middot Will not give guarantees‟ about capex work to

be undertaken in future years by our

maintenance members

Refuse to place potentially redundant members

in permanent jobs within the maintenance

organisation thereby offering no future job

security

Refuse to give further assurances about no compul-

sory redundancies beyond 2010

Will not give guarantees‟ about capex work to be

undertaken in future years by our maintenance mem-

bers

Refuse to place potentially redundant members in

permanent jobs within the maintenance organisation

thereby offering no future job security

Have confirmed that the offers made in its letters

dated 20th

January 2010 in regards to the payments

for the working practice changes and proposed super-

visors terms and conditions (including new bargaining

arrangements and pay anniversary date) represents

its final offer

Failed to provide details of further changes being

planned by the company that affect all our members

in the Network Rail Maintenance organisation

THE GENERAL GRADES COMMITTEE RMT HAS

THEREFORE DECIDED THE FOLLOWING

bdquoGiven all these factors we instruct the GS to inform the

company that this union reject the offers made for our IM

and Supervisory members in the company‟s letters dated

20th

January 2010

Further in view of the above and the refusal of the com-

pany to confirm a real commitment to no compulsory re-

dundancies and confirm that our members will not have

terms and conditions imposed contrary to assurances pre-

viously given that members can ldquostay as you arerdquo We reit-

erate our previous decision that we are in dispute Network

Rail and the General Secretary is instructed to serve notice

no later than 15 February 2010 for Strike Action and Ac-

tion Short of a Strike

In the meantime we are receiving reports that the company

is seeking to introduce rosters based in its revised propos-

als Our representatives are instructed not to agree any

rosters other than in line with their current terms and con-

ditions and to ensure that negotiations on rosters are dealt

with in accordance with the agreed bargaining arrange-

ments‟

WHAT HAPPENS ON NETWORK

RAIL AFFECTS ALL RAILWAY

STAFF WHATEVER GRADE

WHATEVER COMPANY

SAY NO RISK SAY NO MORE

POTTERS BAR


3

AS YOU MAY ALREADY BE AWARE a Regional

Recruitment Account has been set up with a

pound6500 allocation on production of a satisfac-

tory Organising Strategy and ALL Branches

can be subject to a 10 levy of their annual

BMF contribution each year This account will

be used to fund Regional Organising activities

throughout the year but will only be available

for activities that are carried out in conjunc-

tion with the Regional Organising Plan it is

therefore imperative that ALL Branches get

their dates confirmed so that their activists can

be paid the pound65 they earn from a day‟s recruit-

ing from the Regional Recruitment Fund

NEXT BRANCH MEETING TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER 2009 1700 HOURS






RECRUITMENT

GRATEFUL THANKS TO BROTHER

DERRICK MARR SECRETARY OF OUR

SISTER BRANCH SOUTH EAST ES-

SEX AND LONDON amp ANGLIA RE-

GION LEAD RECRUITER FOR AL-

LOWING US TO REPUBLISH HIS RE-

GIONAL RECRUITMENT PLAN HERE

THIS IS ALL HIS OWN WORK

THE PLAN IS LAID OUT IN THREE SECTIONS

1 JANUARY- MARCH

2 APRIL- SEPTEMBER

3 OCTOBER- DECEMBER

Section 2 is the traditional day out where each Branch is allocated a

date and Sections 1 and 3 are for the respective Branches to select a

date of their choice within the two quarterly periods All regional

Council delegates should raise the following points at their next

Branch meeting

The need for EVERY BRANCH to name a date of their choice for

their Branch Rep‟s and Activists to carry out recruitment and or-

ganising activities within their Branch‟s sphere of influence

The date must be decided before the next Full Regional

Council in March

And take place no later than the 31st March 2010

And be held in conjunction with the Regional Council Organising Committee and regional activists

which will be funded from the Council‟s Recruitment fund

And finally to get Branch Secretaries to contact Bro Marr on derrickmarraolcom or 07903322911

with all the details not least of Branch participants

DERRICK MARR LEAD RECRUITER

Branch Secretaries will no doubt have problems finding mem-

bers who will be available to attend their Recruitment days

Staff Reps are the most obvious place to look for prospective

recruiters as they have a legal right to be released for recruit-

ment within their constituency Branch Secretaries should

urge and assist Reps to gain release in advance from their re-

spective companies and co-ordinate these release dates with

their recruitment day Assistance can be received from the

South East Regional Office and the regional Organiser Secre-

taries should remember that just because a member is not a

Rep does not automatically mean they are active and the

same goes for activistsndash they do not have to be Reps They

should view any member who shows an interest in the Union

as a prospective activist and approach them accordingly


4




THE NEED IS TO IDENTIFY the areas in each

Branch that are in need of recruitment and or-

ganisation and then to get a team to attend to

that area The easiest way to do this is by cross-

referencing rosters with membership list print-

outs then the Branch and Regional Organising

Committee will assign activists to those areas It

is essential that forward planning is done before

a team goes out so as they do not turn up and

find they cannot access the workplace or that

the depot is empty or the wrong shift is on duty

By co-ordinating our organising activities we

can get a combination of bdquoyouth and experience‟

by giving new activists opportunities to observe

the more experienced hands at work All activ-

ists have different ways of approaching and

dealing with prospective members and each

individual will tailor their own style It is the in-

tention of the Regional Council to set up re-

cruitment schools specifically so as activists can

attend induction classes and be armed with the

necessary information and ability to deal with

situations Once again different styles can pro-

duce different results but as long as we give a

professional introduction to the RMT then our

goal is achieved Being able to approach a com-

plete stranger or even a group of strangers is

by no means easy the most important ingredi-

ent is confidence

A RECRUITER MUST ALSO BE AWARE OF

RMT SERVICES AND BENEFITS THAT ARE

AVAILABLE TO NEW MEMBERSndash WITH A

GOAL OF NOT JUST RECRUITING NEW MEM-

BERS INTO THE UNION BUT ORGANISING

NEW ACTIVISTS INTO THE MOVEMENT

UNBELIEVABLY EVEN ARRIVA CAN SEE THE TRUTH SOME-

TIMES NOT THAT THEY ARE MUCH BETTER AS OUR COM-

RADES ON ARRIVA TRAINS WILL DOUBTLESS WISH US TO

POINT OUT


5 NEXT BRANCH MEETING TUESDAY 16th FEBRUARY 2010 1700 HOURS



The following are ldquourgentrdquo matters for the information of the Executive Committee

General Grades

middot Network Rail Maintenance Phase 2 bampc ndash Following recent legal developments a major effort has gone

into preparing a ballot matrix that cannot be challenged in court Every member has had a letter regarding

their grade and location we have recorded our actions as a paper trail and man-hours spent on the prepara-

tion

The GGC will action the ballot shortly and we as a Regional Council will have to get fully behind the cam-

paign Meetings have been organised over a period of 2 weeks Branches should do all they can to ensure

good attendance

Ideally every branch with Infrastructure Maintenance members will have a special branch meeting to dis-

cuss this issue and we will try to get speakers along We must do all that we can to ensure that our members

are fully briefed and up to speed with the issues and to ensure a yes vote

middot Network Rail Operations ndash Rostering PTRampR amp T3 ndash It is clear that management want the ability to im-

pose rosters without agreement and we already have a major dispute and strike action in South Wales With

PTRampR Seniority is not being observed in redundancy selection consultation is taking place at Local rather

that Area level and displaced staff are not being allowed to apply for posts more that 1 grade below with

retention of salary On T3 NR wants to get rid of detonator protection and push responsibility for posses-

sion protection from track worker to signaller We want the proposed system withdrawn

Work is being done on the ballot matrix to ensure accuracy and any assistance that can be provided from

the Reps Branches and Activists will help

Notice of intention to ballot on both of these major disputes will be served soon and it is likely that we

will run the ballots in tandem to maximise the impact and effect This Regional Council must

do all it can to support the disputes

Our Council of Executivesrsquo member Bro Michael Lynchrsquos Report to the London amp Anglia regional Council Executive Com-

mittee on the 1ST February 2010

The RMT‟s online TV channel where

you can get up-to-the-minute informa-

tion from your union - and vice versa

This is a fully functioning email account ndash with one

lsquormtorgukrsquo email address You can access the ser-

vice using your web browser or configure mails to be sent and

received on your phone Includes 1 gigabyte of storage

NEW FROM RMT

FOR ALL MEMBERS

The unionrsquos social networking website gives RMT members a place

to meet online to discuss workplace and other issues in a secure en-

vironment The lsquoFacebookrsquo of the Union





AUDIT OF ALL BRANCHES

MEMBERS WITHIN THE REGION

Following reports that the Regional Council Executive

Committee discussed the transfer of all London Over-

ground Rail Operations Limited (LOROL) members

from their respective London amp Anglia Regional Coun-

cil Branches to a LOROL designated Branch this

Branch calls upon the Regional Council Organising

Committee to carry out a root and branch Audit of all

Branches within this Region ensuring that the spheres

of influence reflect any necessary changes and that all

members are allocated into their correct Branches as

per the agreed Spheres of Influence

This is not meant to interfere with a members‟ per-

sonal choice of Branch but will enhance our local or-

ganizations and focus our activities

Yours fraternally

Ed Shine

Secretary John Clarke

Chairman

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL HARD-DONE

BY BANKING EXECUTIVE HEDGE

FUND MANAGER OR THATCHERITE

BLOODSUCKER AND IF YOUrsquoRE A

TURKEY SEND BERNARD MATTHEWS

A CHRISTMAS CARD

REMEMBER AN ARSEHOLE IS

NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS

Pulling Together pro-

vides an engaging and

colourfully illustrated

history of RMT

Available FREE to RMT

m e m b e r s E m a i l

bdennyrmtorguk with

your name and address

NEW from RMT

a FREE popular history of the union


7

NXEA Revenue and Fleet

grades 5 year harmonisa-

tion pay period has been

exhausted and this year is

their first pay nego-

tiations The two year

deal was accepted by unions giving other grades rpi + 05

increase lsquoNot a bad starting point for negotiationsrsquo it has been

suggested and there is absolutely NO REASON why either of these

Grades should be offered less than their colleagues inn Retail and of

course absolutely NO REASON why they should accept less If the Company

try and negotiate separately we will need to ensure we are invited to Fleet

talks as they like to deal solely with Unite and vice versa The Branch believes

that joint negotiations are fundamental to all fair deals and will be keeping a

close eye on events as they unfold in the next couple of months




THOUGHT

FOR THE

MOMENT

lsquoThose who do not move do not

notice their chainsrsquo

lsquoFreedom only for the members

of the government only for the

members of the Party - though

they are quite numerous - is no

freedom at alllsquo

lsquoHistory is the only true teacher

the revolution the best school

for the proletariatrsquo

lsquoFreedom is always the freedom

of dissentersrsquo

Rosa Luxemburg

(5 March 1871[1] ndash 15 January

1919)

Worker Socialist leader of the

1919 German Revolutionndash she

and hundreds of her supporters

were captured manhandled and

shot without trial

ldquoIn her assassination Hohen-

zollern Germany celebrated its

last triumph and Nazi Germany

its first

There are rumours of a hurricane within Revenue Pro-

tection at the moment apparently not only because of

uncertainty over the coming pay negotiations but the Com-

pany have already stated they need to lsquolook atrsquo Rosters (having

made vacant posts redundant in the latest re-Org) and this too will

require the full involvement of RMT The Branch notes that the two

most important things in the workplacendash the pay and the hours you

work for that pay are potentially the two biggest battlegrounds we

face It may unfortunately require all members to show some re-

solve and determination to prevent an all-put attack on Revenue pay

and Ros- ters but watch this space

It has been drawn to our attention that the Company

has recruited a number of new staff for the Liverpool

street gateline link Our members there have already

recently won a significant victory in the allocation of spare

Sundays to permanent staff which until recently were being

worked by contract and agency staff to the detriment of NXEA employ-

ees This policy appears to have now been rescinded and we congratu-

late the members and Reprsquos concerned and advise vigilance being

maintained to ensure allocation of Sundays stays this way However the

new staff on the Gateline link (some of whom are from the Agencies)

are all on six-month rolling contracts which has NEVER been agreed

with this Union This sets a dangerous precedent for current Terms and

Conditions as well as any future recruitment The Branch condemns this

blatant disregard for equal opportunities among new starters and like-

wise the breach of Collective Bargaining with this Union as this was

NEVER agreed and brought n without telling anyone We urge these

staff to join RMT as a mater of urgency and PROTECT YOUR JOBS NOW


8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING

TUESDAY 16th FEBRUARY 2010 1700 HOURS The Railway Tavern Public House (Conservatory room) Angel Lane


PHONE 0207 7529 8835


2




REORGANISATION OF NETWORK RAIL

MAINTENANCE (PHASE 2 BampC)

The following meeting (and many others around the

country including Three Bridges Birmingham Pre-

ston Newcastle Plymouth Cardiff Ashford Bristol

Penzance Doncaster Edinburgh and Exeter) has

been arranged to discuss Network Rail‟s job cuts

and planned Phase 2 BampC reorganisation These

meetings are an opportunity for all members to hear

from your national officials regional organisers

Council of Executive members and area and local

reps and for everyone to voice their opinions

Thursday 11th

February 1700

St Aloysius Church Hall

20 Phoenix Road

Euston

London NW1 1TA

Bob Crow General Secretary

Alex Gordon RMT President

COMRADESndash PLEASE BRING THIS TO THE

ATTENTION OF ANY NETWORK RAIL COL-

LEAGUES YOU KNOW WHO WOULD BE IN-

TERESTED IN ATTENDING BUT ALSO POINT

OUT THE FOLLOWING THAT THE COM-

PANY- Refuse to give further assurances about no

compulsory redundancies beyond 2010

middot Will not give guarantees‟ about capex work to

be undertaken in future years by our

maintenance members

Refuse to place potentially redundant members

in permanent jobs within the maintenance

organisation thereby offering no future job

security

Refuse to give further assurances about no compul-

sory redundancies beyond 2010

Will not give guarantees‟ about capex work to be

undertaken in future years by our maintenance mem-

bers

Refuse to place potentially redundant members in

permanent jobs within the maintenance organisation

thereby offering no future job security

Have confirmed that the offers made in its letters

dated 20th

January 2010 in regards to the payments

for the working practice changes and proposed super-

visors terms and conditions (including new bargaining

arrangements and pay anniversary date) represents

its final offer

Failed to provide details of further changes being

planned by the company that affect all our members

in the Network Rail Maintenance organisation

THE GENERAL GRADES COMMITTEE RMT HAS

THEREFORE DECIDED THE FOLLOWING

bdquoGiven all these factors we instruct the GS to inform the

company that this union reject the offers made for our IM

and Supervisory members in the company‟s letters dated

20th

January 2010

Further in view of the above and the refusal of the com-

pany to confirm a real commitment to no compulsory re-

dundancies and confirm that our members will not have

terms and conditions imposed contrary to assurances pre-

viously given that members can ldquostay as you arerdquo We reit-

erate our previous decision that we are in dispute Network

Rail and the General Secretary is instructed to serve notice

no later than 15 February 2010 for Strike Action and Ac-

tion Short of a Strike

In the meantime we are receiving reports that the company

is seeking to introduce rosters based in its revised propos-

als Our representatives are instructed not to agree any

rosters other than in line with their current terms and con-

ditions and to ensure that negotiations on rosters are dealt

with in accordance with the agreed bargaining arrange-

ments‟

WHAT HAPPENS ON NETWORK

RAIL AFFECTS ALL RAILWAY

STAFF WHATEVER GRADE

WHATEVER COMPANY

SAY NO RISK SAY NO MORE

POTTERS BAR


3





















RECRUITMENT










1 JANUARY- MARCH

2 APRIL- SEPTEMBER

3 OCTOBER- DECEMBER





Branch meeting





Council in March






















4
































ent is confidence










POINT OUT






General Grades




tion



good attendance
























NEW FROM RMT

FOR ALL MEMBERS
























Yours fraternally

Ed Shine


Chairman






A CHRISTMAS CARD






history of RMT



bdennyrmtorguk with


NEW from RMT



7



















THOUGHT

FOR THE

MOMENT







freedom at alllsquo





of dissentersrsquo

Rosa Luxemburg


1919)





shot without trial




its first






























8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING



PHONE 0207 7529 8835


3





















RECRUITMENT










1 JANUARY- MARCH

2 APRIL- SEPTEMBER

3 OCTOBER- DECEMBER





Branch meeting





Council in March






















4
































ent is confidence










POINT OUT






General Grades




tion



good attendance
























NEW FROM RMT

FOR ALL MEMBERS
























Yours fraternally

Ed Shine


Chairman






A CHRISTMAS CARD






history of RMT



bdennyrmtorguk with


NEW from RMT



7



















THOUGHT

FOR THE

MOMENT







freedom at alllsquo





of dissentersrsquo

Rosa Luxemburg


1919)





shot without trial




its first






























8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING



PHONE 0207 7529 8835


4
































ent is confidence










POINT OUT






General Grades




tion



good attendance
























NEW FROM RMT

FOR ALL MEMBERS
























Yours fraternally

Ed Shine


Chairman






A CHRISTMAS CARD






history of RMT



bdennyrmtorguk with


NEW from RMT



7



















THOUGHT

FOR THE

MOMENT







freedom at alllsquo





of dissentersrsquo

Rosa Luxemburg


1919)





shot without trial




its first






























8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING



PHONE 0207 7529 8835






General Grades




tion



good attendance
























NEW FROM RMT

FOR ALL MEMBERS
























Yours fraternally

Ed Shine


Chairman






A CHRISTMAS CARD






history of RMT



bdennyrmtorguk with


NEW from RMT



7



















THOUGHT

FOR THE

MOMENT







freedom at alllsquo





of dissentersrsquo

Rosa Luxemburg


1919)





shot without trial




its first






























8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING



PHONE 0207 7529 8835





















Yours fraternally

Ed Shine


Chairman






A CHRISTMAS CARD






history of RMT



bdennyrmtorguk with


NEW from RMT



7



















THOUGHT

FOR THE

MOMENT







freedom at alllsquo





of dissentersrsquo

Rosa Luxemburg


1919)





shot without trial




its first






























8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING



PHONE 0207 7529 8835


7



















THOUGHT

FOR THE

MOMENT







freedom at alllsquo





of dissentersrsquo

Rosa Luxemburg


1919)





shot without trial




its first






























8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING



PHONE 0207 7529 8835


8

NEXT BRANCH MEETING



PHONE 0207 7529 8835

Newsletter: February, 2010

Business

Transcript of Newsletter: February, 2010