from General Secretary Bob Crow

With reference to the above, I am aware that ASLEF representatives and officials around the country have apparently been asserting that they can organise and represent grades other than Drivers in Train Operating Companies and have been recruiting such staff, including existing RMT members.

Some of you will know that in 1998, after a long RMT fight against an ASLEF campaign to organise and recruit Conductors who were training to be Drivers on Central Trains, the TUC Disputes Committee made a landmark award to the effect that ASLEF does not have the right to recruit and represent staff employed in traditional RMT grades, even if they are training to be a Driver. That means ASLEF can only organise and represent Train Drivers.

At the time, ASLEF did not accept the award and sought clarification of many of the points contained within it. The Disputes Committee subsequently issued clarification of those points and in effect emphatically endorsed RMT’s interpretation.

Please find enclosed a copy of the Disputes Committee’s clarification. I would particularly draw your attention to the Committee’s response to ASLEF’s first point in respect of Paragraph 22 of the original award, contained on page 3 of the clarification.

In the light of ASLEF’s activity, Branches with railway members should ensure that this is placed before the Branch meeting for discussion. Please also make your local representatives aware of this and do all possible to clearly convey the position to all railway staff, particularly everyone who might be involved in Driver training, currently or potentially in the future.

If you require a copy of the original TUC Disputes Committee Award, please contact the Membership Department at Head Office or e-mail memdep@rmt.org.uk. It is also the intention to publish both the Award and the Clarification on the RMT website in due course.