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Thales Update

Thales Update:

 

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

 

Following Tuesday’s very well attended Branch Meeting it was unanimously agreed that we are in dispute with Thales

 

Whilst we’ve been willing to work with the company regarding their changes, all our counter suggestions have been dismissed. The company even went as far to state that whatever we say, they will be making their changes. That attitude has made a mockery of our so called consultation.

 

The reality is, we’ve been told and that for them is the end of the matter.

 

Our members have made it totally clear that they reject the changes proposed by the company.

 

  • They won’t accept inferior rosters
  • They won’t accept compulsory redundancy
  • They won’t accept less staff and more managers
  • They won’t accept an their union and representatives being ignored

 

I’ve asked for this matter to be referred to Acas in the hope of even at this late stage this matter being resolved.

 

I have to say, I’ve had no positive reply, just an email saying we aren’t working in  partnership i.e. letting the company impose change for the worse on our members

 

UNITY IS STRENGTH

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LUL Pay Talks

The RMT attended the pay talks today which consisted of LUL doing a detailed presentation of how well we are doing, how ticket prices are raising and how little money they have. Additionally how our pay has soared ahead of RPI (but less than ticket prices).  Following the presentation, at the expensive and posh building at Westferry Circus ‎we made some generic points about the pay claim regarding our members aspirations for better pay and conditions and the need for a fixed amount rise for the lowest paid as per our pay submission. These are very early talks and we have no visibility of any pay offer. ‎The say they want this issue sorted before April, which if true, they need only say yes to our claims and job done!

 

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Cleshars PAYE Contracts

CCS has issued many of their agency members with PAYE contracts which must be returned no later the Sunday 1st March 2015.

 

RMT Industrial Relations Department have provided the following advice:

  • What you have been offered as written in the contract is what is available; improvements will need to be made in due course by the RMT union through meetings with CCS
  • Each Cleshar agency worker needs to consider for themself whether to go PAYE or a become a limited company; based on your particular grade and rate of pay in relation to tax arrangements etc etc
  • PAYE status provides employee status; which means you will have employee rights that can now be promoted by the RMT with improvements sought and won!
  • This is the first time most CCS workers have had employment rights; and is a door opener for RMT to defend and progress all aspects of your employment: job security, fairness at work, pay, real holiday and sick pay, pensions & so on ……..

 

RMT will fight for all agency/contract union members; if you are not yet a RMT member you need to join for the RMT to fight for you!

 

A special reduced membership fee of £5 per month is available to all track agency/contract workers and RMT is running a campaign to win you better pay and conditions of work

Its time for all track workers get in the union now so together we can organise to sort out these long standing issues………..

 

To join RMT or for further information and advice

please call 0754 1593131

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Thales update

Following the latest meeting this week between Thales management and RMT reps, we made it clear that we will not accept compulsory redundancies, and that voluntary redundancy and alternative post opportunities must be the primary goal.

We insisted that :-

1. The compulsory redundancy situation is withdrawn, as the proposed re-organisation shows post vacancies that our members can fill.

2. Thales bring back ‘in-house’ the out-sourced workload, for example analogue to CAS cut-overs and exchange surveys.

Despite this, Thales are still rail-roading the consultations through and as a consequence, we are in dialog with regards to the selection assessment criteria because we feel it is biassed, unfair and discriminatory.

In addition to this, Thales are trying to start a consultation on roster changes. We have insisted this must not go ahead as firstly it will cause unacceptable additional stress to those at risk and secondly the machinery for roster negotiations has not been agreed by Thales.

It is possible that Thales will adapt the same approach with roster as they have with redundancies and plough on without completing the consultation process or reaching an agreement. Therefore it is very important for all shift workers that no-one gets directly involved with management in discussions regarding new rosters, even if offers sound tempting. We are very fortunate to be in a unionised workplace where rosters have to be agreed between Thales and the union (and its members) rather than having them forced upon us, and as such we must use the machinery put in place to do this. Short-circuiting the machinery serves only to fragment the unity and throttle the effectiveness of the union, something that no paid-up member would wish for. All roster negotiations must be done through union reps.

For us to reach a successful outcome on these matters, it is important that we all stick together. It is also imperative that we support each other unconditionally, that is to say any one of us could be at risk of redundancy at any moment as Thales have not yet made final proposals. There must be no ‘I’m alright’ attitude. This process does not stop when Thales have selected their redundancy victims, its stops when management stop attacking our T’s and C’s and our right to a fair work-home balance. Strength in unity.

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Latest LT Region Circular

 

 

 

 

OFFICIAL CIRCULAR

 

TO ALL BRANCHES AND REPRESENTATIVES

ALL UNDERGROUND AND FORMER LT EMPLOYERS

 

 

 

 

29th January 2015                                                               Circular No IR/034/15

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

DISPUTE WITH KEOLIS/AMEY DOCKLANDS (K.A.D.) (DLR/15/10)

 

Following my previous Circular (IR/022/15, 21st January 2015), further talks took place with the Company and assurances over the issues in the dispute were received. The General Grades Committee considered this matter and took the decision that, as all our demands have been met, the dispute is resolved and the strike action which was due to commence from Wednesday 28th January was called off.

 

One of the main issues leading to this dispute was the outsourcing/secondment of members to MJ Quinns without their consent or agreement. All these members will now be brought back ‘in-house’ and managed directly by Keolis/Amey Docklands. The arrangement for secondments to MJ Quinns will be ended and the Company aims to complete this process by 1st April. All activities will be ‘in-house’ and there are also no plans to outsource any other additional operational activities in the future.

 

All policies and procedures, including Maternity & Paternity leave, will remain the same as were in place under Serco. These policies and procedures may be reviewed in the future but this will be done through proper consultation with RMT Reps along with a commitment from both sides to reach agreement.

 

The Company HSQE Director will meet our RMT Health & Safety Reps to agree a meeting structure going forward. This will ensure members get the support they need and will provide a regular opportunity for our Reps to raise any concerns and receive and give feedback on health and safety issues.

 

This success is a testimony to all DLR members, with the magnificent ballot result and the subsequent threat of strike action leading to the resolution of this dispute. This victory is a great example of what a strong, unified RMT membership can achieve.

 

DISMISSAL – A. MCGUIGAN – TRAIN OPERATOR – MORDEN, LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/4/1)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/08/15, 12th January 2015), the ballot papers for all London Underground Train Operator and Instructor Operator members were posted out on Monday 26th January and the closing date for this ballot is Tuesday 10th February 2015. If any member has not received their ballot paper, please ask them to call the Freephone Helpline number on 0800 376 3706 as soon as possible so a replacement can be sent.

 

I urge all members to ‘VOTE YES FOR STRIKE ACTION’ to send the strongest message to the Company that we will not tolerate this blatant and clear cut case of victimisation against an RMT member with 29 years’ unblemished service on the job and are prepared to stand together and fight for justice for Brother McGuigan. As well as demanding the immediate reinstatement of our unfairly dismissed member, we must make sure that all other members are protected from suffering similar treatment in the future. Any decision which brings a life-long career to its end must be made with proper consideration of all factors, including any mitigation as provided in this case.

 

As always, RMT remains available for discussions to resolve any industrial dispute but in this case, talks at ACAS broke down due to the complete failure of the management side to engage with Union Officials. Our offer to call off the previous strike action by members at Morden Traincrew Depot in return for a commitment that the company would honour any employment tribunal decision to reinstate Alex McGuigan was also rejected.

 

I will of course keep you advised of all further developments.

 

DEDUCTIONS FROM WAGES FOR TAKING INDUSTRIAL ACTION SHORT OF A STRIKE – TFL (TFL/9/16)

 

Following a report received from the Lead Officer, the General Grades Committee took the decision to seek advice on whether the decision by TfL to make deductions from members’ wages for taking industrial action short of a strike is legal. In this case, the Company stated that employers are entitled to deduct pay from employees who are participating in lawful strike action. The same is also true where employees are taking part in lawful industrial action which leads to part performance of their contract. In these circumstances, employers may deduct a proportion of the employee’s salary.

 

The legal advice has now been received advising that where the action short of a strike involves a breach of contract, employers have a choice on whether to make deductions from pay and the level of any such deductions, up to 100% where the employer confirms that partial performance is not acceptable but employees work anyway. The employer must make it clear that partial performance is not acceptable and act consistently in the deductions they make.

 

The General Grades Committee has considered this advice and instructed me to inform Branches of the advice so that they can decide what further action to take and for them to report back their views. Please forward any views and comments to Louise Marshall, Industrial Relations at l.marshall@rmt.org.uk. I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

 

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Vote Mick Lynch for AGS

Voting papers are out soon in the RMT election for Assistant General Secretary. It is important that members vote whatever candidate they choose

 

However your branch has nominated Mick Lynch and would urge you to vote for him

 

For more information click the link below

 

Vote Mick Lynch

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Thales DTS Update

Dear ALL

 

I have requested that formal meetings start properly. The aim of the talks is with a view to reaching agreement regarding:

  • Ending the threat to operational jobs‎ and compulsory redundancy
  • Looking at Operational needs without amendment to rosters and the massive impact associated with this
  • Formalising the ‘roster’ agreement to facilitate the above talks
  • Working together to review your management structures to ascertain how they can be ‎reorganised to give the management cover you start within existing headcount
  • Work together to examine efficiency savings and better working practices‎. With mutual benefit

 

I have also notified Thales that for clarity that following discussions with our members that they reject compulsory redundancies and the loss of operational jobs to create more managers.

 

We therefore wish to start meaningful discussions and end the perception of this being railroaded in.

 

To that end I have also requested that the formal one to one discussion are halted.

 

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Dumping of sewage on tracks

Rail workers’ protest in Glasgow over dumping of sewage on tracks

 

Rail workers protesting over the continuing scandal of the dumping of sewage on the tracks will be out leafleting  at Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street Stations on Tuesday 3rd February from 08.00 until 09.00‎

 

The action is part of RMT’s ongoing campaign to bring forward the date when the filthy and disgusting practice will be stopped on the Scotrail franchise from December 2017 to the union target date of April 2016 – one full year after Abellio take over the franchise.

 

At a meeting earlier this month a Network Rail Director told union reps that the risk to staff is low with a limited amount of harmful bacteria within this human waste – a dangerously complacent attitude that the union disputes. On further questioning  management confirmed the last analysis they carried out on human waste was in 2004- over a decade ago.

 

Network Rail also confirmed they would not offer staff any jabs to protect against any potential illnesses or disease, for example hepatitis.

 

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

 

“RMT activists will be on the entrances at both Glasgow Central and Queen Street on tuesday morning leafleting the public to raise awareness that this filthy and disgusting practice continues in 2015 with little or no regard for the health, safety and wellbeing of rail workers

 

RMT is determined to force rail bosses to bring forward the date when this scandal is brought to an end once and for all. ”

 

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LUL Pay Talks

The RMT have started talks with LUL regarding pay and terms and conditions. As always these are early days and there are no proposals from Management yet but we are demanding our members are rewarded for the hard work and efforts that they have made in an increasingly busy tube.

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Tube Lines Rostered Rest Days etc

The following resolution was carried at our Branch Meeting last night:

 

The branch has been informed that the agreement reached below represents the most that can be achieved through negotiation‎.

 

We are concerned that our members need to be fully consulted and involved in deciding whether this agreement is acceptable and our branch therefore requests a referendum is carried out of all affected members in AP JNP Track and Civils, namely, Civils, Northern and Pic Track, Ultrasonics and the Lube Gang. We further ask for it to be clear in the referendum that a rejection is likely to lead to a need to take Industrial Action and a strike ballot will likely follow. We further ask for the Regional Organiser for Tube Lines, write to the company and ask for full talks at Company Council Level and that there is no imposition from Tube Lines as per the Machinery

Agreement

 

  • From Sunday 4th January 2015; all AP JNP Track and Civils staff will be rostered to work a 35hr, 5 shift working week and will incorporate the use of Hand-held devices within their duties. Although the 15 Rostered Rest Days (RRDs) will no longer be applicable, annual leave will be increased to 37 days per year and an additional 4 lieu days will be provided to existing employees. In relation to these additional lieu days, they must be taken each year between 24th December and 31st March in the following year. This agreement includes all Q grades whose are rostered to work Sun/Mon to Thurs/Fri EHs.
  • In relation to the use of Hand-held devices it was agreed that any individual who had difficulty in transferring information onto these devices would receive additional training to fulfil the input requirement. In the event that any individual could not input information on to a hand-held device after the additional training, they would continue to complete the current paper template, and would remain in their current post
  • For the majority of staff rostered nights their normal roster will be Sunday/Monday to Thursday/Friday EHs. This will be implemented by local agreement to suite business needs on each of the JNP lines, rail ultrasonic team, rail lubrication team and civils department with a completion date of 31st March 2015. For any specific individual who has not changed their roster by the 31st March 2015, their circumstance will be reviewed on an individual basis to find a conclusion.

 

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