DISPLACEMENT, TRAIN OPERATORS, CENTRAL LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/16/4)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/395/16, 19th December 2016), the ballot concluded with members voting as follows:-
Are you prepared to take strike action?
Total Votes Cast 90
Number Voting ‘Yes’ 82
Number Voting ‘No’ 8
Spoilt Papers 0
Are you prepared to take industrial action short of a strike?
Total Votes Cast 90
Number Voting ‘Yes’ 86
Number Voting ‘No’ 2
Spoilt Papers 2
The National Executive Committee has noted the result strongly in favour of taking strike action and action short of a strike and has taken the decision to call on all affected members at Hainault, Leytonstone and Loughton Traincrew Depots NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts that commence between:-
- 21:00 hours on Wednesday 25th January 2017 and 20:59 hours on Thursday 26th January 2017.
RMT met with the Company on 3rd and 13th January in an effort to reach an acceptable solution to this dispute but LUL has now written to us stating that it will be proceeding with the displacements. This has left us with no option but to take strike action to demand that management return to talks and halt any forced and unacceptable displacements until agreement is reached. I am sure all members will support our Central Line Train Operators and I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – LONDON UNDERGROUND (FLEET GRADES) (LUL/14/2)
The following resolution was recently received from LU Fleet Branch:-
“Due to a breakdown in industrial relations with management and the ongoing attacks at various levels, this Branch calls on the General Secretary to advise LU we are in dispute and request the NEC to ballot all LU Fleet members for strike action and action short of a strike. This action has been called due to management breaching the agreed machineries, our main agreement and local agreements, namely:-
- Not consulting or negotiating with this Union about reducing staff numbers within Fleet
- Breaching our agreement on Night Tube and their failure to recruit the additional staff to cover this job
- Actively attacking our Reps for carrying out their duties
- Not following the correct process when seeking to change rosters
- Removing a very long and established practice of ‘phone in days’ throughout Fleet without full and meaningful consultation”.
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to inform London Underground we are in dispute and to conduct a ballot of LU Fleet members for strike action and action short of a strike. The Company has been advised accordingly and I am currently making the necessary preparations to conduct a ballot for industrial action. I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
STATION STAFFING & SAFETY ARRANGEMENTS, POST-IMPLEMENTATION OF FIT FOR THE FUTURE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/5)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/1/17, 3rd January 2017), the National Executive Committee congratulated all members for the tremendous strike action on Sunday 8th and Monday 9th January 2017. Now the Company has until Monday 6th February to come up with a genuine proposal which meets our reasonable demands over station staffing and safety. If nothing is forthcoming, the NEC has resolved to call further, escalated strike action as the current situation is a disaster waiting to happen and cannot be allowed to continue.
In the meantime, the overtime and rest day working ban, non-familiarisation and non-rostering of overtime remains on as a clear demonstration that it is not possible to run a decent service without sufficient, experienced, safety-critical staff.
The following resolution has also been received from Bakerloo Branch:-
“This Branch calls on the NEC to name a programme of further strikes in the station staffing dispute. These strikes should:-
- Be longer than 48 hours
- Seek to maximise disruption, for example by taking place on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Involve Night Tube staff, with at least one strike day starting or finishing at 23:01 on a Friday
- Be announced as part of an ongoing programme of action, also involving demos, rallies etc., similar the approach RMT has pursued in the dispute on Southern
- Coordinate as much as possible with other disputes, including the Central Line Drivers’ dispute and the Southern dispute”.
This National Executive Committee has now referred this matter to the Southern Sub-Committee and I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
DISMISSAL, D. STOREY, TRAIN OPERATOR, WEST RUISLIP – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/4/1)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/1/17, 3rd January 2017), London Underground agreed to conduct a Director’s Review into Brother Storey’s case and to allow this review to take place, the National Executive Committee took the decision to cancel the strike action which was due to commence on Monday 9th Janurary 2017. The outcome of the Director’s Review which took place on Thursday 12th January is awaited and I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
Yours sincerely
Mick Cash
General Secretary