PACKED MEETINGS DEMANDS ACTION ON RAIL PENSIONS

www.rmt.org.uk :: april 2006 :: RMTnews 11 T he government and rail employers must respond to the growing momentum being gathered by the rail unions’ joint campaign for a solution to the industry’s pension crisis, rail workers declared at a series packed meetings around the country. The meetings, organised by RMT, ASLEF, TSSA and CSEU, called for action to maintain pension benefits, keep the final-salary scheme open to new members, cap contributions to a reasonable level and streamline the proliferation of over 100 Railways Pension Scheme sections created by the fragmentation of privatisation. Unions warn that failure to resolve the dispute before new pension-fund rules trigger massive contribution hikes from July 1 will result in co-ordinated ballots for industrial action across the industry. “The united response underlines the determination among members to take action taken to protect their pensions,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. “The magnificent turnouts at these meetings should leave no-one in any doubt that we mean business,” he said. Meetings are scheduled for Manchester April 19, London April 20 and Newcastle April 25. PACKED MEETINGS DEMANDS ACTION ON RAIL PENSIONS JOIN THE LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT ON MAY 9 TO DEFEND YOUR RAIL PENSION Speakers include: RMT general secretary Bob Crow ASLEF general secretary Keith Norman TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty Please write to your MP in advance to tell them you wish to meet them at the lobby and to ask them to sign Early Day Motion 1681 in support of rail workers pensions. Please visit www.rmt.org to download lobby material or email j.croy@rmt.org.uk Let your MP how you feel! The joint lobby will demand that employee contributions are capped at an affordable rate, the fund is kept open to new entrants, that benefits are maintained at least at current levels and that the scheme is streamlined. Rail unions ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and CSEU/Amicus will be holding a lobby of parliament in defence of railway workers pensions Assemble outside Parliament at 1pm Nearest Tube Westminster.