Category: Tube Lines

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LUL Furlough & Company Council Report

Today we had the joint LUL & Tube Lines Company Council attended by the RMT.

 

Furlough: LUL announced that they are dealing with an unprecedented loss of income, with train journey’s over Easter, lower than at any time for nearly 100 years.

 

They currently had over 18% of their staff off with Covid related issues along with the normal levels of staff absence.

 

Therefore they had decided to use the Government Job Retention Scheme, also known as Furlough to add funding.

 

This scheme states that the Government will fund up to 80% (capped at £2,500) to support companies for a limitted time with staff that have no work currently.  This period must last for a minimum of 3 weeks and staff must not be undertake any work for LUL during this period.

 

NOTE LUL HAVE GUARENTEED TO PAY 100% OF EMPLOYEES WAGES

 

 

Full details of the Government Job Retention Scheme

 

 

LUL have stated that they intend to use this scheme starting on the 27th April and would spend next week trying to ascertain which staff that they was currently able to furlough. Examples that was given were those at home but unable to work, those being shielded etc. LUL also stated that they expected this to be mainly non-operational.

 

They confirmed that this would be on 100% of their pay and their terms and conditions would remain intact.

 

RMT Regional Organiser, John Leach, insisted that this must be put into writing and that the RMT would not accept anything less than FULL terms and conditions remaining the same and full involvement in the process of discussion who would be furloughed.

 

Non-essential work: 

 

LUL confirmed that they had been examining how much and what types of non-essential work that they should stop doing. They stated that they had produced a list of items for each function and they would share with the RMT asap.

 

Our view remains the same, we will fully support members that are unsure if the tasks that they have been given is either safe or essential to the safe running of the railway. If in doubt, always say no and raise with your reps and managers. Put your health and your safety first as it it better to query and ask why, than risk doing something that is wrong.

 

Face Masks:

 

LUL reported that station staff would be given face masks from next week to deal with emergency situations and that they was reviewing exactly where else these masks were needed.

 

The RMT position remains clear:

  • If the Mayor is telling passengers to wear masks then passenger facing staff should remain protected.
  • PPE is a last resort and LUL agreed that the use of masks was NOT to enable more work to be undertaken
  • The principles of social distancing and hand washing remains the most effective way to combat the spread of Covid 19

LUL Pay Deal:

 

LUL confirmed that this would be paid in July

 

Contractors:

 

The RMT have continually demanded that LUL and TfL take ownership of the issues regarding our sub-contractors and self employed staff and pay them.

 

The RMT today stated that they would work with Management to produce safe working practices to enable the restart of various project works such as in R&E that would enable this workers to be back earning money, but being kept safe by their union.

 

There is a real danger that these staff with be lost to the Railway and they have been denoted as Key Staff. People such as Protection Masters with Morsons and Cleshars, Track Staff employed by VGC and engineers in Engie etc are all core to the safe running of the Railway and all these core functions need to be done in house.

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TfL Staff deaths due to Covid 19

Engineering Reps on a conference call with London Underground were today told that 30 TFL workers have now died.

 

 

This means it is likely that the deaths of transport workers has now surpassed NHS workers in London.

 

We stand side by side with our brothers and sisters in the NHS and we are doing all we can to get all essential workers to work.

 

 

What our employers must URGENTLY do, is supply us with full and adequate P.P.E in order to do so.

 

 

Our lives depend on it.

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LUL announce ERU and FRC Christmas Period Payment

The RMT has always demanded equality across all areas and staff working on LUL worksites.

 

Whilst we welcome the below payments, we also believe that all workers deserve to be rewarded for working during certain periods such as Christmas and we are therefore approaching the company to obtain commitments for all other areas and staff to working during the same period

 

LUL Bulletin

 

Asset Operations, ERU and FRC

Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve working arrangements 2019
Christmas Day working arrangements 2019

  • 1. Employees whose shifts start on or after 22:00 hours on Christmas Eve will
    receive an additional £285 payment for each shift worked on Christmas Day. For example if an employee works two shifts, i.e. 22:00 hours on Christmas Eve and then again at 22:00 hours on Christmas Day, they will receive an additional £570 payment (2x £285).
  • 2. Employees booking on duty before 22:00 hours on Christmas Eve will also
    receive the additional £285 payment provided that they work the majority of their shift after 22:00 hours on that night.
  • 3. Employees booking on duty before 08:00 hours on Boxing Day will also receive the £285 payment for that shift.
  • 4. Employees who are required to be on call during this period but are not called out will receive an additional payment of £50 per shift in accordance with the dates and times specified above. If called out then the additional £285 payment will apply.
  • 5. These are gross payments and are subject to tax and national insurance
    deductions.
    New Year’s Eve working arrangements 2019
    1. An employee working any rostered night shift will receive an additional £228 over and above normal pay.
  • 2. Licensed volunteers working a night shift will receive an additional £228 over and above normal pay.
  • 3. Any employee working on New Year’s Eve, whose shift finishes after 22:00
    hours, will receive their normal rate of pay plus £228. This payment will not be made to employees in categories 1 and 2.
  • 4. Employees booking on duty before 08:00 hours on New Year’s Day will also
    receive the £228 payment for that shift.
  • 5. Employees who are required to be on call during this period but are not called out will receive an additional payment of £50 per shift in accordance with the dates and times specified above. If called out then the additional £228 payment will apply.
  • 6. These are gross payments and are subject to tax and national insurance
    deductions
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Point Care Gang (LUL)

Despite LUL being informed of serious breaches of agreements with regards to BCV and SSL, management continue to use the JNP Gangs on non-JNP areas.

 

The man concerns of this are:

  1. The JNP Point Care Team includes dual skilling track and signals staff that we believe is a direct threat to job security
  2. There has been no discussions to vary any BCV and SSL agreements.
  3. Impacts on existing staff in the SSL gang have included being placed into the redeployment pool, alienated so that the have wanted to move and we believe there is now a complete breakdown in Industrial Relations over the matter

Sadly, it seems that we have been given no choice but to look to our members to defend our agreements and our job security. We are therefore compiling a ballot matrix of all BCV and SSL Signal Staff with a view to Industrial Action.

 

We remain available for talks.

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Fighting the latest Transformation LUL

LUL have been forcing through large job cuts in Asset Operations and other areas that also include the Track Access Controllers and Learning and Skills development.

 

Additionally, we are also seeing a large scale attempt to privatise part of the work that is currently done by DSM at Acton and this is not acceptable to your union.

 

Despite requests to go to Acas and to follow our Agreements, LUL have refused to cooperate with the RMT.

 

These Agreements were made prior to the failed Privatisation of Tube Maintenance to Metronet and Tube Lines and enshrined how we negotiate any changes such as these and how we prove the proposals are Safe.

 

Not content with this attack on our ‘jobs for life deal’, LUL are now attacking our Roster Agreements for Metronet and Tube Lines, see below

 

CMO Roster Agreement Click Here

 

 

Tube Lines roster agreement Click here

 

We have demanded LUL stop these attacks and get round the table with your union in the agreed fashion and we have asked our NEC to ballot all of Tube Lines and LUL Signals for strike action and action short of strike.

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PAY, TERMS & CONDITIONS – PROTECTION STAFF MORSON & CLESHAR (LU CONTRACTS)

PAY, TERMS & CONDITIONS – PROTECTION STAFF

MORSON & CLESHAR (LU CONTRACTS)

 

Further to previous correspondence regarding the above, this matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the following decision:-

 

“That we note the report from our Lead Officer and that our members having waited 6 months for the union to address this issue and are beginning to lose faith.

Accordingly we instruct the General Secretary to prepare a ballot matrix of all affected members employed by Morsons, Cleshar, JMK and Rift for industrial action in the form of a strike, and concurrently over a 4 week balloting period conduct a referendum of our self-employed members with a recommendation to withdraw their services from London Underground’s business.

We also instruct the General Secretary to obtain legal advice to facilitate protecting our members, and to arrange a meeting between our IR Representatives, the Lead Officer, Senior Assistant General Secretary and members of the NEC.

Members to be advised by e-mail and text.

Bob Crow Branch and the London Transport Regional Council to be advised”.

 

As a result of the above decision, all affected companies have been informed that we are in dispute and Papers to be dispatched on Tuesday 4th June with a closing date of Tuesday 2nd July.

 

The referendum of self employed members to run concurrently

 

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

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Breakdown in Industrial Relations: LUL Signals

It has been brought to our attention that numerous changes have been occurring across LUL Signals, with minimum or no discussion. These have in some cases been minor and in others completely break agreements and working practices that we have had for in some cases decades.

 

The final straw has been the Point Care Gang, the RMT have been supportive of this team and had reached agreement with management over their use, skill set and work location. This now appears to have been ignored and we will not allow our agreements to be destroyed. These include:

  1. Use of Signal Staff to not do track work
  2. Use of Track Staff to not do Signal Work
  3. Home depot
  4. Work remit and area

This alone would be enough but we have also seen unilateral changes to IRSE Licences that people hold, higher grade working use, level transfers being interfered with and enough is enough.

 

We have demanded that LUL abide by our agreements and reinstae the status quo by Friday 17th May, or else we will be in dispute on LUL BCV/ SSL Signals.

 

We remain available for talks

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LUL Transformation: Why it matters to us all

LUL have announced a new wave of job losses as our mayor implements both the government austerity measures, along side his own cuts agenda.

 

However, these cuts are now starting to occur within operational areas and also include areas that have already been cut before, for example:

 

Asset Performance Control Centre (APCC) and Duty Operation Manager Engineering (DOM(e)) was reorganised less than 2 years ago. That reorganisation in the APCC and DOM(E) area saw over a 17% cut in staff and that lead to increased pressures and workload for the remaining staff. Despite assurances that to the contrary, we now find that they are being attacked again. It is obviously that if you give so much as an inch then the company will take a mile. The DOM(E) and their counterparts on JNP, will go from 20 staff to 7 staff, again being unworkable and will effect the lives of those left in these roles

 

In the Fault Report Centers, LUL want to lower the number of operators on both from 50 staff to 28 operators and 7 team leaders despite the fact that staff there are struggling with their current workload. The RMT do not accept that this is safe and we believe will effect our members health and well-being and workload balance.

 

And no surprise bu tno senior manager is losing their job!

 

It is obvious that the company want us to pay for their cuts with our jobs and we say NO!

 

Breach of agreements

 

RMT have taken the serious decision to refuse to enter into talks and have entered into dispute instead. This is because LUL are refusing to acknowledge the processes and agreements that you Union negotiated for us all to protect us and protect our jobs.

 

Jobs for life deal.

 

The below agreement was reached with LUL prior to privatisation of the Engineering Functions and is contractual. They cannot make anyone compulsory redundant and have to show, very importantly, that a job loss is SAFE. There is no point in talks if they refuse to follow these agreements and insist on sham talks without FULL and THOROUGH discussions with our health and safety reps prior to any further discussions. That does not mean us going cap in hand to LUL and saying this is wrong, but working together to identify all the risks and making sure it is correct. We fail to understand why LUL are refusing to cooperate with us on this matter unless they intend to to force these changes through.

 

Jobs for Life Deal click here>>

 

If it is not safe, then there is nothing to accept.

 

Negotiation and NOT consultation.

 

The below agreement is also contractual and LUL are refusing to acknowledge and follow its principles for these talks. This is the precedent that will be used to beat us ALL up with and is not acceptable.

 

Negotiation means we talk, we agree and we work together. Consultation means they told us now off we go like good little children. We will defend our agreements and we will not accept them telling us anything especially when it comes to people’s livelihoods.

 

Code of Practice PPP click here>>

 

 

LUL need to come to the table and start talking seriously with your union and honour our agreements and we intend to ballot our members to ensure this occurs

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LUL TRANSFORMATION

TFL/LUL TRANSFORMATION

 

Further to my letter of 15th April 2019 you will know that TfL/LUL is undergoing a process called ‘Transformation’ which aims to cut costs and make savings by making job cuts. LUL has recently announced a further raft of job losses affecting members in Track Access Control, Power Control, Service Control, LUCC, Skills Development, Waste, Pumps, Stations Buildings & Civils and Signals Incidents.

 

RMT is of course opposed to the whole Transformation process and I immediately wrote to the Company to demand that section 6.1.1. of the Main Framework Agreement is adhered to. This states that any changes in relation to staffing levels will only be carried out following full consultation and negotiation with the trades unions. This has not been the case so far as no negotiation has taken place and no safety review or validation has been provided.

 

The Company were informed that we are in dispute over its failure to follow the correct procedures and failure to adhere to our agreements while pushing ahead with job losses affecting RMT members. All RMT Reps were also been advised not to attend or take part in any briefings or discussions regarding this matter until further notice.

 

We have now had sight of an LU Skills Development Change Update Bulletin sent to staff where appallingly the company has gone ahead and opened up a Voluntary Severance Scheme despite our request for proper negotiations and in the full knowledge that a dispute situation exists between us. We have demanded that this notice is withdrawn immediately and that this completely unacceptable trawl for Voluntary redundancies is stopped. We will not tolerate management riding roughshod over our agreements and trying to bulldoze through such a major transformation, which will have a devastating effect on jobs, without proper consultation and negotiation with RMT.

 

I will of course keep you updated with all further developments.

 

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash
General Secretary

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RMT declares a further dispute across London Underground over threatened job losses

RMT declares a further dispute across London Underground over threatened job losses
 
TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has declared a further dispute across London Underground over job losses and is preparing a ballot for industrial action.  The dispute comes in addition to the rows over the current pay round and fleet preparation and maintenance with RMT making it clear that it sees the attacks on jobs, staffing levels, pay and working conditions as part of a concerted assault on the workforce by London Underground that it intends to resist with every tool at its disposal including the use of industrial action.
 
The latest dispute has arisen as TfL/LUL is undergoing a process called ‘Transformation’ which aims to cut costs and make savings through job cuts. LUL has recently announced a further raft of job losses affecting members in Track Access Control, Power Control, Service Control, LUCC, Skills Development, Waste, Pumps, Stations Buildings & Civils and Signals Incidents.
 
RMT has made it crystal clear that the union is wholly opposed to the whole Transformation process and has written  to the Company demanding that the negotiated Main Framework Agreement is adhered to. That agreement states that any changes in relation to staffing levels will only be carried out following full consultation and negotiation with the trades unions. This has been flouted in respect of the latest proposals as no negotiation has taken place and no safety review or validation has been provided.
 
Due to this breach of the key main agreement principles RMT General Secretary Mick Cash has made it clear to the Company that unless the union receives the relevant information, including the full proposals and full information on all safety aspects, we will withdraw from the 90 day statutory consultation.
 
RMT’s National Executive Committee has now considered the matter again and noted that the wholly inadequate Company response does not address our requirements. Therefore, the NEC has taken the decision to advise the Company of our withdrawal from the flawed Transformation process and to declare a dispute over this issue. RMT has now advised the Company accordingly that we are in dispute over its failure to follow the correct procedures and failure to adhere to our agreements while pushing ahead with job losses affecting RMT members.
 
All RMT Reps have also been advised not to attend or take part in any briefings or discussions regarding this matter until further notice and preparations for a ballot are now underway.
 
RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash said:
“RMT members across London Underground are furious at what they rightly see as a barrage of attacks from the company with the job cuts assault under the guise of the “Transformation” process just the latest in a catalogue of grievances that are all about hammering down on pay, staffing levels, safety and working conditions.
“RMT has made it crystal clear that we will fight any attempts to rip up agreements as part of a process designed to ram through cash-led cuts that would decimate the workforce and open the door to an assault on job security, pay and working conditions that our members have had to fight long and hard to achieve
“We are now in dispute with London Underground on a number of fronts and are mobilising an industrial and political response that will turn the tide on these ill-conceived attacks.”
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MASS MEETING FOR RMT LONDON UNDERGROUND MEMBERS

MASS MEETING FOR RMT LONDON UNDERGROUND MEMBERS
 
The National Executive Committee has taken the decision to arrange a mass members meeting for all London Underground members with the General Secretary, Senior Assistant General Secretary, Lead Officer, National President, and NEC in attendance to discuss:-
 
  1. RMT 2019 Pay Submission and progress of talks with the Company.
 
  1. Transformations attacks on jobs and agreements affecting Transplant, Track Access Control, Power Control, Service Control, LUCC, Skills Development, Waste, Pumps, Stations Buildings & Civils and Signals Incidents.
 
  1. Extended Train Fleet Preparation Schedule
 
This meeting has been arranged for 6pm on Wednesday 24th April 2019 in the Mahatma Ghandi Hall, Indian YMCA, 41 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 6AQ.
 
All RMT members are welcome to attend I look forward to seeing you there.
 
WITHDRAWAL OF COMPANY SICK PAY – LONDON UNDERGROUND
 
I would like to remind all LU members of clarification that was received in 2016 regarding the above which confirmed that members should not have company sick pay withdrawn as a result of not attending informal meetings with their managers while they are off sick.
 
Members should stay in contact with their line manager during a period of sickness and provide the required sick certificates but non-attendance at a review meeting should not alone result in sick pay being suspended.
 
DISMISSAL, HARVINDER BILLING, CSA2, HEATHROW – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/4/1)
 
Further to my previous Circular (IR/119/19, 27th March 2019), the Company was advised of the dispute situation over the dismissal of Brother Harvinder Billing from his CSA2 role at Heathrow for failing to following unknown procedures in relation to ticket machine accounting and servicing. I can now advise that ballot papers will be posted to all CSA, CSS and CSM members in the Heathrow Area on Thursday 18th April and the closing date for this ballot is Thursday 2nd May 2019.
 
If any member does not receive their ballot paper or know of a colleague who has not received it, please ask them to call the Freephone helpline number on 0800 376 3706, RMT Head Office on 0207 387 4771 to ask for the Industrial Relations Department or e-mail [email protected] to request a replacement.
 
RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2019 – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/0001)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/302/18, 4th July 2018), there has now been a total of five pay meetings held with the Company and each element of the RMT pay claim has been discussed in some detail. At the conclusion of these meetings, the Company has tabled a formal one-year offer which is as follows:-
 
  • A 2.5% consolidated increase for all grades (RPI February 2019, published in March 2019), effective from 1st April 2019.
 
However this offer is conditional on RMT withdrawing all the other elements of our pay claim, namely:-
 
  • A minimum flat rate increase for the lowest paid staff
  • Increased payments for PM, SPIC and First Aid duties
  • A reduction in the working week to 32 hours over 4 days
  • An increase in annual leave entitlement
 
Your RMT negotiating team is of the unanimous view that this offer falls well short of members’ aspirations and in fact fails to address any element of the RMT pay and conditions claim. RMT, along with our sister unions, expressed our disappointment to the Company and in response, LU stated it is willing to hold further meetings although at this stage the above offer is the best available with what is on the table.
 
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to formally advise LU of our rejection of the offer and that unless significant improvements are made it is likely that a dispute situation will exist over this issue. Also to prepare a ballot matrix of all London Underground members and arrange a meeting of all 2nd Stage LU Reps in order to discuss the offer and potential further steps in this campaign.
 
I am acting in accordance with the above and would ask that in the meantime all members check their membership records are correct. Therefore, if your job title, home address or workplace has recently changed, please contact the RMT Helpline on 0800 376 3706 or the RMT switchboard on 0207 387 4771 and ask to speak to the Industrial Relations Department. Alternatively, you can e-mail your change of membership details to [email protected].
 
Yours sincerely
Mick Cash
General Secretary
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TFL/LUL TRANSFORMATION (LUL/15/4)

TFL/LUL TRANSFORMATION (LUL/15/4)
 
Further to my previous Circular (IR/80/19, 22nd February 2019) and as you may be aware, TfL/LUL is undergoing a process called ‘Transformation’ which aims to cut costs and make savings by making job cuts. LUL has recently announced a further raft of job losses affecting members in Track Access Control, Power Control, Service Control, LUCC, Skills Development, Waste, Pumps, Stations Buildings & Civils and Signals Incidents. The Company has given formal notice of the start of 90 days of consultations and advised that the effective commencement date was Tuesday 26th March 2019.
 
RMT is of course opposed to the whole Transformation process and determined to make sure that the Company follows the correct procedures and adheres to our agreements during this process. The Union previously received an assurance from LUL that this would be the case so I am shocked that once again, they are pressing ahead with issuing formal notifications.
 
I have written to the Company to demand that section 6.1.1. of the Main Framework Agreement is immediately and properly adhered to. This states that any changes in relation to staffing levels will only be carried out following full consultation and negotiation with the trades unions. This has not been the case so far as no negotiation has taken place and no safety review or validation has been provided.
 
As a result of the above and due to LUL breaching key main agreement principles, RMT will advise the Company at the meeting next Tuesday that unless we are provided with the relevant information including the full proposals and full information on all safety aspects, we will withdraw from the 90 day consultation.
 
The National Executive Committee will consider this matter again next week and I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
 
Yours sincerely
Mick Cash

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