The meetings were primarily set up to discuss Groundstaff pay and conditions in response to the proposal document that management had tabled earlier this year. However, the opportunity was also taken to discuss fundamental issues concerning representation with the company.

I had written to EWS in advance of the first meeting on 15th February, giving them notice that as well as the long outstanding issue of a new procedural agreement for Groundstaff, it was also our intention to raise the issues of recognition for engineering staff and supervisory grades, plus seeking an increase in rates of pay and conditions of service for these staff.

I can say at the outset that the meeting was amicable. Management accepted that 'a lot of water had gone under the bridge' since procedural arrangements were last discussed and indicated that they would reconsider this issue again in the light of further representations. Obviously the major issue being the avoidance of disputes procedure, which would be resolved by replacing the no-strike/binding arbitration clause with the same arrangements that have been agreed with other Unions.

We also discussed the question of the reintroduction of recognition for engineering staff on account of the 300 members we have in these grades and of the serious concerns that have been made known to us with the manner in which the CSEU/AMICUS have been conducting pay negotiations.

In relation to supervisory staff, management stated that they needed confirmation that we were prepared to sit down with the other trade unions and deal with the whole group of staff, including management grades. It was confirmed that we have no issue at all with this. Indeed in most companies we are happy to deal with all the grades concerned and sit down with all the other trade unions involved. We are after all an all-grades Union.

Obviously before we could explore our claim for an increase in rates of pay and conditions of service, a recognition and procedure agreement needs to be agreed and in place and this we intend to prioritise.

One major area of concern has been made known to us during these discussions. It has emerged that AMICUS / CS&EU had approached the company in relation to recognition for Ground staff claiming a significant number had joined their union from within these grades. As an aside, I recently received a letter from this very organisation who appeared to be absolutely rabid to learn we were seeking to take management up on an offer made two years ago for pro-rata representation for Engineering Staff. Neither of these positions can go unchallenged.

As I said, RMT is more than happy to sit down with other trade Unions and negotiate jointly with employers to improve pay and conditions and to defend jobs. We do this in virtually every company we deal with and such cooperation is known to yield good results. But at the same time in every case where clearly defined recognition rights are established, they are respected by all parties in all instances.

In this instance, RMT has always had sole recognition rights for Groundstaff and joint recognition for Engineering Staff with the CSEU. I have referred the matter to the TUC.

The meeting with EWS ended with an undertaking by us to produce details of our Engineering membership within the company and it was agreed to reconvene on Friday 2nd March 2007.

This meeting duly took place where further approaches were made with regard to extending recognition rights of Groundstaff to AMICUS/CSEU. We have agreed to a further joint meeting with EWS and AMICUS, but I believe I have already made RMT's position clear.

At this point in time, all of the discussions referred to have been amicable. I will report further as soon as I am able.

Yours sincerely,

Bob Crow
GENERAL SECRETARY