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