Category: LUL

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LUL Point Care Gang

It has come to the attention of the RMT that JNP Managers have been looking to export former Tube Lines working methods into BCV and SSL areas.

 

One such example is the Point Care Gang. The RMT supported this initiative within BCV and SSL as a way of recruiting staff and given members a career opportunity.

 

However we now find that there has been a steady creap of JNP (former Tube Lines) working practices that involve the blurring of lines between signals and track staff roles. This is directly against BCV/ SSL Agreements and will not be accepted

 

To that end we have asked our National Executive to Ballot all our members in Signals in Former Metronet areas

 

We remain available for talks

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LUL Circular 30th August 2019

Dear Colleagues,
 
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, TRAIN OPERATORS, CENTRAL LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)
 
Further to my previous Circular (IR/336/19, 23rd August 2019), the RMT negotiating team has held a series of talks with the Company at ACAS and following the latest developments the National Executive Committee has accepted the revised resolution proposals from the Company and taken the decision to SUSPEND THE STRIKE ACTION called for Tuesday 3rdto Wednesday 4th September. All members are therefore instructed to book on and work as normal. The upcoming re-ballot to keep the mandate live has also been cancelled.
 
The negotiating team unanimously decided that the latest proposals represent a significant shift in the Company’s previous position and address a number of the core elements of this dispute. LU has committed to increase Train Operator levels on the line, review the application of the Attendance At Work Policy and address a number of other Health & Safety matters.
 
I will be closely monitoring future industrial relations on the Central Line but in the meantime, all members and Reps are congratulated for reaching this position and seeing these issues resolved.
 
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, TRAIN OPERATORS, VICTORIA LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)
 
Further to my previous Circular (IR/336/19, 23rd August 2019) the RMT negotiating team has held a series of talks with the Company at ACAS and following the latest developments, the National Executive Committee has taken the decision to SUSPEND THE STRIKE ACTION called for Tuesday 3rd to Wednesday 4th September. All members are therefore instructed to book on and work as normal.
 
During the talks with the Company, proposals to find a resolution to the issues in the dispute including Service Control and Reps Release, Pay Deductions, Disciplinaries, Attendance at Work and our Framework Agreement were discussed. The Company has stated it is committed to implementing jointly agreed proposals to improve working relationships between RMT members and Victoria Line management and further detailed discussions are planned with specified review periods.
 
I will be closely monitoring developments and if the Company renege on its current position RMT will call further industrial action in this dispute.
 
RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2019 – SERCO LONDON CYCLE HIRE SCHEME (TFL/0001/SLCHS)
 
Further to my previous Circular (IR/314/19, 12th August 2019), the referendum regarding the above has closed with the following result:-
 
Question: Are you prepared to accept the company’s offer?
 
Number of Papers Returned…        11
Number Voting ‘Yes’…                   9
Number Voting ‘No’…                    2
Spoilt Papers…                            0
 
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has congratulated all members, Reps, the Lead Officer and Camden 3 Branch and taken the decision to advise the Company of our acceptance of the offer. I have asked that the increase, along with backdated monies, is paid to members at the earliest opportunity. For your ease of reference, the accepted offer is as follows:-
 
Year One
 
  • A 2.4% increase, effective 1st April 2019
 
Year Two
 
  • A 2.4% increase, effective 1st April 2020. However this will be reviewed should RPI exceed 5% in the three month slot before the pay anniversary (1st January to 31st March 2020).
 
Yours sincerely
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LUL Pay Talks referred to ACAS

The RMT and LUL will be meeting to discuss the pay offer at ACAS on the 10th July.

 

Your union has rejected the inadequate pay offer already as it failed to reach the aspirations of our members or deal with wider elements such as a reduced working week.

 

Please see the rejected offer and we believe that LUL are hiding behind a mask of poverty due to the cuts on funding from the Conservative Government and the Labour Mayor. The truth is our members perform an amazing role keeping London working and we help create a huge amount of wealth for the country and LUL in particular.

 

We therefore want our issues addressed

 

 

Latest LUL Pay Offer

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LUL Protection Staff

Protection Services members that work under Cleshar and Morsons have returned an overwhelming and massive mandate to their union to push forward with their campaign for a fair pay rate.

 

In a new 100% mandate for action, they have sent a clear message to London Underground that they will not tolerate the status quo any longer and demand wage dignity at work. This includes both the permanent members of staff and those that are self employed.

 

Formal meetings will now occur with our reps to discuss what action to take and we call on their employers to meet with the RMT to avoid the need for action.

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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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RMT Circular 23rd May 2019

LONE WORKING, NIGHT TUBE STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/10)
 
The following resolution has been received from Piccadilly & District West Branch:-
 
“This branch notes the recent attack by drunk passengers on a member of night tube at T5 and the failure to attend by BTP. This is typical of termini stations where drunken passengers have to be woken to leave trains but not solely at termini stations.
 
We also note this is not the first incident of an attack on a lone working night tube member and is a sorry indictment of LU’s lack of protection and support for lone workers employed to work night tube only.
 
This branch calls on the National Executive Committee to declare a dispute of all night tube staff at T5 including night tube train operators unless the following is implemented:
 
1.    BTP presence on Friday and Saturday nights
2.    End lone working at T5
3.    No overcarrying of passengers into T5 sidings”.
 
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to arrange an urgent meeting of our Night Tube IR and H&S Representatives, Piccadilly & District West Branch Officers, the Lead Officer, Senior Assistant General Secretary and members of the NEC in attendance.
 
I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
 
DOWNGRADING, A. MORGAN, TRAIN OPERATOR, NEASDEN TRAINCREW DEPOT
LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/4/13)
 
The following resolution has been received from Neasden Branch:-
 
“This Branch, Neasden 1070 Branch abhors the recent decision by LUL to demote our member and our branch disability officer Adrian Morgan. Adrian is a Train Operator at Neasden Traincrew Depot, he has served LUL for 12 years and been a Train Operator on the Metropolitan Line since 2011 and had an unblemished record. We can show that Adrian has been treated differently to other Train Operators. We are disgusted at the harsh decision against Adrian and we want to start immediately to enter into dispute with LUL for the full reinstatement to the Train Operator grade.
 
Adrian was sent to a CDI following an incident in early November 2018 where a customer was caught in the doors as they were closing. The customer never complained about any incident or injury, in which it was reported by an anonymous person.
 
This is a daily hazard for all Train Operators in the course of their duty, the disciplinary panel were fully aware of Adrian’s personal issues that happened that evening and accepted these in the hearing. Adrian continued his duty to assist in not having further delays to the travelling public and put added pressure on his work colleagues.
 
There has been numerous comparator cases within LUL that was raised in the CDI hearing and namely on the Metropolitan Line, where these drivers have not faced any disciplinary action despite at least one that resulted in a serious injury to a customer that needed hospital treatment.
 
We strongly believe that Adrian has been treated differently for a number of reasons including fighting in the workplace to get his disability recognised by LUL for a number of years which was finally accepted once he was sent to a CDI.
 
Adrian’s decision to his CDI was received on 14th May 2019 which was to demote him to CSA2.
 
An appeal has been submitted and is due to be heard shortly and if the result is unsatisfactory from the appeal then LUL management must be made aware that we intend to defend our member and that we are prepared to escalate this dispute to do so”.
 
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to seek a report from the Lead Officer and to advise the company that we many well be in dispute if Brother Morgan is not re-instated at his appeal hearing.
 
I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
 
PAY, TERMS & CONDITIONS, PROTECTION STAFF – MORSON & CLESHAR (LU CONTRACTS (LUL/14/2)
 
Further to my previous Circular (IR/539/18, 14th December 2018), the NEC took the decision to advise the Companies that we are in dispute over the pay and conditions of members working as Protection Masters, Train Masters and Possession Masters on the LU network. The Union has made several attempts to hold discussions with a view to improving their terms and conditions and specifically, increasing their unsatisfactory rate of pay but regrettably, these requests have not been successful.
 
This stagnation has resulted in a pay cut in real terms, and an erosion of members’ disposable income and living standards. It is time these members’ legitimate and justified claims for pay and conditions reflective of the work they do and in line with their London Underground colleagues is met.
 
The NEC has taken the decision to prepare a ballot matrix of all affected members employed by Morsons or Rift for industrial action in the form of a strike and to concurrently, over a 4 week balloting period, conduct a referendum of our self-employed members with a recommendation to withdraw their services.
 
I am currently acting in accordance with the above decision will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
 
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, SECURITY STAFF – INTERSERVE (TFL CONTRACT) (TFL/14/2)
 
The following resolution has been received from Piccadilly & District West Branch:-
 
“This branch notes the draconian treatment our security guard members are suffering at the hands of the huge outsourcing company Interserve.
 
Enforced job losses, demotions, cuts in pay and hours and unsafe working practices is something this union will not tolerate.
 
This branch calls on the National Executive Committee to announce a formal dispute with Interserve and TfL and to prepare a ballot matrix of our Interserve members.
 
We also call on the Regional Organiser to arrange a series of meeting to consult our security grades to discuss the next steps.”
 
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to arrange an urgent meeting between our Interserve IR Representatives, Piccadilly & District West Branch Officers, the Lead Officer, Senior Assistant General Secretary and members of the NEC, to discuss the organisation of a ballot for industrial action.
 
I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
 
Yours sincerely
Mick Cash
General Secretary
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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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Protection Staff Morsons and Cleshar

The RMT are very close to completing its ballot matrix for all protection staff that work on London Underground Contracts for Morsons and Cleashars.

 

This has been a lengthy and complex matter, but it is important to get it right.

 

The companies affected should be notified by your union that their level of pay is unacceptable to our members and that we intend to fight for an increase.

 

Ballot papers will follow within the next few weeks and we will keep you udated

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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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