On-Call insurance
Working in partnership with Teleost Ltd, we have been able to secure an extremely cost effective insurance package to include accidental injury, death and illness insurance, please see the leaflet attached which provides more details including an option to opt out.

We have taken this step of providing this additional insurance because we have first hand experience of the difficulties which our members face when they are injured on or off duty together with any knock on effects if it impacts on their ability to continue in their primary employment.

The premium of £2.52 per month is considerably lower than would be available to members to purchase on an individual basis and will provide more benefits 24 hours a day and at a significantly lower fee than other products currently on offer elsewhere. Importantly it does not affect the FREE £20,000 Accidental Death Insurance which is already provided as an additional benefit to members.

This proposal was debated at the AGM in September in accordance with our rules and received unanimous support when put to the vote. Therefore from the 1st January 2009 this insurance will come into effect.

Membership Subscription
I would also wish to advise you of an increase in the subscription fee. This is a very modest increase in line with the 2008 pay settlement (2.45%) and allows the RFU to continue to offer the services our members have come to expect from us.

With effect from 1st January 2009 the annual fee will increase from £103.20 to £105.60 plus an additional £30.24 per year for membership of the On-Call Scheme.

For those members who pay an additional fee due to their dual membership (those on a Wholetime/Retained contract) the increase will apply pro-rata i.e. £158.40 plus the On-Call fee.

Contact details
Also included with this letter is a refresher sheet. Maintaining up-to-date information on each member is important for a number of reasons, circumstances change as do addresses, phone and email details. So to help us to help you we would appreciate your help by completing and returning the attached sheet.

John Barton
National General Secretary

Note: All information we hold on you is stored and administered in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 which requires anyone who handles personal information to comply with a number of important principles. It also gives individuals rights over their personal information.

All that remains is for me to wish you a very Happy (and Safe) Christmas
and a prosperous New Year.

Don't forget to salt/grit your drill yard this winter to arrive at the station safely!