Dear all,

We are planning a strategy to improve attendance and engagement with the Stations and Revenue Grades committee, as this can potentially be a powerful organising tool for stations and revenue staff. With the revenue inspectors under attack, major concerns over a two tier workforce in stations and revenue, increased attacks on staff and a dramatic rise in incidences of unstaffed stations, our grades are under attack on many fronts.

The grades committee offers an opportunity to share information, plan strategies and campaign priorities for our grades in much greater depth than can be done in branch meetings. We are also planning to use it as a forum for support and training for newer reps, with themed sessions incorporated into each meeting.

February's meeting will be an AGM with the election of officers and the composition of our yearly plan. We will be looking for a new chair and secretary but I will continue to give support and assist with publicising and planning the meetings. We will also be organising a big push for the March meeting at which we will launch a campaign for staffing and safety, incorporating demands for CSA2 upgrades, against a two tier workforce on revenue, an end to lone working, to unstaffed stations and uncovered duties.

Please can you print or otherwise distribute the enclosed notice as widely as possible and promote attendance at your branch meetings. A healthy attendance next week will be a good foundation for an effective campaign leading to a dispute if necessary.

Many thanks
Marie Harrington
Stations Functional Council