Olympics and Paralympics 2012

That we note the correspondence from our Regional Organiser on file and the letter from Thales dated the 13th July 2012 and that this matter remains unresolved.

Therefore we reiterate our previous decision to call industrial action as stated in our decision GWW 11th July 2012.

Further should Thales mount a legal challenge, the General Secretary is instructed to provide all necessary assistance to defend the decision of our members to take industrial action.

Branches and Regional Councils to be advised.

RAIL UNION RMT today called off a strike ballot over Olympics payments on key train operator First Great Western after hammering out a new agreement that will ensure that all staff right across the service will secure additional benefits.

The agreement, reached after extensive negotiation with RMT representatives, gives our members a flat rate payment for the Olympic period in addition to enhanced payments for additional services being run by First Great Western and in recognition of the busy periods expected.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, and are appalled that Emcor Rail have refused to make any financial offer to our members for Olympics working.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to immediately conduct a ballot for strikes and action short of strikes, notice to be given today, the ballot to commence on 18 July and close on 27 July, ballot papers to be sent first class, and a personal letter to be sent to all members involved urging them to vote Yes to both questions.

We link this file to the file OLYMPIC RECOGNITION AND REWARD – TRANSPORT FOR LONDON

RMT members on Southern trains have voted overwhelmingly in a referendum ballot to accept an Olympics recognition and reward deal which will see all staff receiving a basic payment of £300 with an additional £28 per day available for rest day and Sunday working and £50 for additional late night turns.

The total reward package is in line with agreements on other London train operators and ratchets up the pressure for a fair deal on South West Trains, Greater Anglia and First Great Western where RMT is balloting for action.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

“In response to LUL’s statement given on Thursday 5 July at 16:00 at ACAS, RMT is not arguing about the use of ICSAs working on stations alongside established staff. We are, however, totally opposed to ICSAs being counted towards minimum numbers for keeping a station open or for evacuation purposes.

On 2 April 2008, Gerry Duffy, LUL’s Director of Employee Relations, signed an agreement with RMT and TSSA which clearly states that the minimum staffing level for each station is:

In response to LUL’s statement given on Thursday 5 July at 16:00 at ACAS, RMT is not arguing about the use of ICSAs working on stations alongside established staff. We are, however, totally opposed to ICSAs being counted towards minimum numbers for keeping a station open or for evacuation purposes.

On 2 April 2008, Gerry Duffy, LUL’s Director of Employee Relations, signed an agreement with RMT and TSSA which clearly states that the minimum staffing level for each station is:

In this Olympic special edition:

• All Grades Of Transport Employees Are Entitled To A Decent Financial Reward
• TfL Strike
• Fully-Trained Station Staff Count!
• Your Reps Report
• Olympic Issues For Taxi Drivers

Updated to show deals made at Telent and MJ Quinn, and the latest action at TfL.

We note the resolutions from our LU Engineering branch, and in line with these, we instruct the General Secretary to:

• advise MJ Quinn that following its Olympic bonus, pay increment and relaxation of
  leave restriction, we are no longer in dispute with the company on this contract
• cancel the ballot of our members on this MJ Quinn contract
• advise our members of this decision
• keep our ballot of our members on Telent in suspension
• place in front of us reports on further talks with Telent and reports from our branch as
  to members’ views

Further to our decision of 29 March 2012 to ballot our members on the Telent/MJ Quinn London Underground contract, we note subsequent correspondence from each employer improving its offer to our members. MJ Quinn has offered an Olympic bonus of £750 and a 2.5% pay rise.