2 October 2015
RMT
SOUTHERN/GATWICK EXPRESS
Our Ref: BR2/0001/SR
1 October 2015
Dear colleague
RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – SOUTHERN/GATWICK EXPRESS
Meetings have been held between your union and Southern/Gatwick Express with regards to this year’s pay increase. While no written offer has yet been received, your negotiators have informed me that, at the meeting itself, the following was tabled by management:
• A one year no strings 2.5% increase
This offer has been considered by your Executive Committee, which has rejected it as it does not include the claim made by the RMT on the supplement for rest day and overtime working. The company is making savings of 23% on pension contributions and annual leave pay by not filling vacancies and covering work with rest day and overtime work.
As well as the pay offer, there had been meetings to discuss a 4-day week for Conductors and a reduction in the working week for Revenue Protection grades.
On the Conductors issue, I have written to the company demanding it gives us a final offer on this along with an early implementation date.
Engineering Grades were offered a 3 year deal, which is as follows:-
• A 2.5% increase in Year One • RPI + 0.25% or 2%, whichever is the greater, in Years Two & Three.
This has also been rejected as it does not meet the aspirations of our members and will not solve the problem of recruitment and retention of these skilled workers, which the company had promised to address in a letter to your union back in July 2015. The shortage of engineers is putting increasing pressure on these workers to get the work done with a reducing wokforce. I have therefore included a demand to management that they commit to further meetings on this matter also in order to resolve the problems.
Management have also indicated that they will be having a further meeting with another union over pay for shunter drivers in the engineering department. I can assure you that your union will not accept a situation where those staff receive a much higher pay rise than our engineering members.
I have advised your employer that, unless it addresses the concerns as outlined above by 17th October 2015, then a dispute situation will arise and a ballot for industrial action of you and your RMT colleagues will be conducted.
I will of course keep you advised of all further developments in this matter.
Yours sincerely Mick Cash General Secretary
Unity House
Tel: 020 7387 4771
Email: