The company made it abundantly clear that they wished to have talks with RMT. I understand every employee has been made aware of this in writing. We therefore agreed to meet with them and as you know they were offered dates from my diary for Monday and Tuesday this week.

I was therefore appalled when the Human Resources Director called my office on Friday stating that EWS were now putting unacceptable conditions on us meeting, the condition being that RMT suspends the ballot that commenced on Friday. At no time prior to this had such a condition been mooted. All that was said was that they wanted talks which we agreed to.

EWS has put a lot of paperwork around the job which, they hope, portrays them as being the good guys in all this, desperately trying to get an inflexible trade union around the negotiating table. Well their latest action epitomises what they are really about.

I have also had sight of an internal company communication which states that EWS are calling in something called the "Versatile Working Agreement" which is a component of the 2005 pay settlement they reached with TSSA this year. As a result of this all Technical & Specialist (TS) grades are being summonsed to medicals, presumably to see if their fit enough to be used as part of a strike breaking force.

I’ll be honest and say I have no idea exactly what the "Versatile Working Agreement" contains but I notice that in advising staff of their intention to use it, even EWS are saying that they are "disappointed to take such action". What a way to talk about a collective agreement reached with a recognised trade union.

This again shows what happens when RMT is frozen out of negotiations. However I would point out that if TS or any other grade of staff is being asked to work beyond their profile, they can join RMT and legitimately participate in any industrial action that takes place rather than be used as strike breaking fodder.

As you will know, ballot papers were released to members’ homes last Friday. Anyone who hasn’t received a ballot paper by next Wednesday 2nd November, should contact RMT Headquarters immediately or phone our Helpline on 0800 376 3706.

Yours sincerely

Bob Crow
GENERAL SECRETARY