INTRODUCTION OF WTT15 – TRAIN OPERATORS – JUBILEE LINE, LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/228/18, 10th May 2018), the ballot has concluded with members voting as follows:-
Are you prepared to take strike action?
Number of individuals who were entitled to vote in the ballot: 108
Number of votes cast in the ballot: 58
Number of individuals answering “Yes” to the question: 46
Number of individuals answering “No” to the question: 12
Number of spoiled or otherwise invalid voting papers returned: 0
Are you prepared to take industrial action short of a strike?
Number of individuals who were entitled to vote in the ballot: 108
Number of votes cast in the ballot: 58
Number of individuals answering “Yes” to the question: 50
Number of individuals answering “No” to the question: 8
Number of spoiled or otherwise invalid voting papers returned: 0
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to instruct all affected members to take part in strike action to demand that the company withdraw the imposition of a timetable which is detrimental to their work life balance and not to book on for shifts that commence between:-
- 00:01 hours to 23:59 hours on Wednesday 6th June 2018
- 00:01 hours to 23:59 hours on Thursday 14th June 2018
I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
DISMISSAL, L. VIGO, TRAIN OPERATOR, BAKERLOO LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/4/1)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/228/18, 10th May 2018), this matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which congratulates our Bakerloo Line Branch, Trains Functional Council Reps, the Lead Officer and Senior Assistant General Secretary on the re-instatement of Bro Vigo by London Underground on Tuesday at a resolution meeting with the Employment Tribunal Judge and London Underground management.
Not only have LU re-instated the member back to his driver position but they have also agreed to back pay all his wages – well over a years’ worth – and pay his legal costs plus compensation; all due to the fact that trumped up charges were levelled at him with procedures bent and misused to try and make them stick.
The company’s attempt to rule by fear has been exposed by this case and the whole debacle also serves as a wake-up call to London Underground to end the bullying culture which is rife throughout the company and stop setting up and picking off individual staff.
The Company has been informed that as a result of the above the dispute situation between us is no longer in place.
TFL TRANSFORMATION (TFL/15/4)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/23/18, 11th January 2018), the following resolution has been received from our LU Engineering Branch:-
“This branch condemns the cuts being carried out across LUL and TfL.
We note that LUL are now informing staff that they are intent on ignoring our jobs for life deal (Annex H, PPP Code of Best Practice) and have stated that people may be made compulsory redundant.
We also note that the TfL and LUL behaviours in these discussions have fallen short of the expectations that our union has on how these matters will be negotiated. We believe that the companies have failed people on Maternity Leave or with Mental Health, among many other factors and have driven change through that will not work and will make life miserable for many that remain.
We also note the feedback of our members that attended the mass meeting on Transformation on the 8th May and unanimously decided to fight these cuts. We therefore ask the National Executive Committee to:
- Ballot all Engineering Members in TfL in the PMO and Engineering for strike action and action short of strike.
- Ballot all members in LUL affected by Transformation for strike action and action short of strike.
- Ballot all members in LUL Asset Operations for strike action and action short of strike.
- The General Secretary meets with the Mayor and asks him to condemn the cuts and put a halt to Transformation.
- That general legal advice on the contractual nature of the PPP Code of Best Practice and particularly Annex H, is distributed to our affected branches”.
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to arrange for a special meeting to be held with our LT Regional Organiser, Transformation Reps and London Underground at the most senior level to discuss all matters outstanding on LUL Transformation, including individual’s cases. Also to prepare a ballot matrix of our LUL membership as requested in the LU Engineering Branch resolution.
I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, DRIVERS, HAMMERSMITH & CITY LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)
The following resolution was recently received from our Hammersmith & City Branch:-
“The H&C Branch has received news from the LUL TFC that London Underground management plan to push ahead with disciplining Drivers (and possibly members of other grades) who they deem to be taking excessive PnR’s (personal needs relief). It is a long standing Branch policy that members should not be subject to disciplinary action for taking PnR’s, in accordance with the LUL rule book.
As this forms part of our former dispute resolution from a previous dispute and was as far as we are concerned agreed at ACAS that this practice would cease, we must re-enter into dispute with the Company.
Therefore we seek an immediate ballot of all Train Operator and Instructor Operators at Edgware Road and Hammersmith Depots for strike action and action short of a strike”.
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has noted the resolution from our Hammersmith & City Branch regarding the heavy-handed approach of disciplining members for taking personal needs breaks; and that the company is breaching agreements on this reached at ACAS. This is an intolerable situation to our members and this union and we will not tolerate such a violation of our members’ human rights, agreements and LU’s own rule book.
The NEC has taken the decision to inform London Underground that a dispute exists between our two organisations and to ballot our Train Operator and Instructor Operator members at Edgware Road and Hammersmith Depots for strike action and action short of a strike. The Company has been advised accordingly and I am currently making preparations to act in accordance with this decision. I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
ABUSE OF ATTENDANCE AT WORK POLICY – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/5/9)
The following resolution has been received from the London Transport Regional Council:-
“This branch notes ongoing abuses of the AAW policy and resolves to request that the Regional Organiser raise this issue with LU at Director level as soon as possible”.
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to seek a report from the Lead Officer regarding this matter. I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
MANAGEMENT USE OF ‘YAMMER’ SOCIAL MEDIA – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/27/1)
The following resolution has been received from the London Transport Regional Council:-
“This branch believes “yammer” is used by management to bypass and undermined collective bargaining and trade unionism.
This is shown by their blanket policy of deleting any union material posted there, leading to a one-sided ‘conversation’ in which the bosses can circulate their propaganda, but we cannot respond.
This branch calls for a companywide campaign to expose the true nature of “yammer” and encourage members who want to let management know their views to instead use the unions’ structures and industrial action to do that”.
This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which taken the decision to launch a companywide campaign to expose the true nature of “yammer” and encourage members who want to let management know their views to instead use the unions’ representative structures and industrial action to do that. I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep Branches advised of all further developments.
PAY PARITY, TRANSPLANT MAINTENANCE & STORES STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND (ex-AP JNP) (LUL/10/2)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/107/18, 23rd February 2018), members have been taking part in industrial action including an ongoing overtime and rest day working ban but due to recent changes to balloting legislation in the 2016 Trade Union Act, the current mandate for action will expire on Wednesday 6th June.
As this dispute remains unresolved the National Executive Committee has taken the decision to conduct a re-ballot. Ballot papers will be posted to members on Thursday 24th May 2018 and the closing date for the ballot is Tuesday 5th June 2018. If any member does not receive their voting paper, or knows of a colleague who has not received it, please call the freephone helpline on 0800 376 3706, RMT Head Office on 0207 387 4771 to ask for the Industrial Relations Department or e-mail info@rmt.org.uk to request a replacement.
TRAIN PREPARATION PAYMENTS, TRANSPLANT MAINTENANCE STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND (ex-AP JNP) (LUL/1/8)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/107/18, 23rd February 2018), members have been taking part in industrial action including an ongoing overtime and rest day working ban but due to recent changes to balloting legislation in the 2016 Trade Union Act, the current mandate for action will expire on Wednesday 6th June.
As this dispute remains unresolved the National Executive Committee has taken the decision to conduct a re-ballot. Ballot papers will be posted to members on Thursday 24th May 2018 and the closing date for the ballot is Tuesday 5th June 2018. If any member does not receive their voting paper, or knows of a colleague who has not received it, please call the freephone helpline on 0800 376 3706, RMT Head Office on 0207 387 4771 to ask for the Industrial Relations Department or e-mail info@rmt.org.uk to request a replacement.
Yours sincerely
Mick Cash
General Secretary