Author: Paul

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Whistleblowing

New Labour Research Department publication: Whistleblowing
The Union affiliates to the Labour Research Department (LRD) – an organisation dedicated to publishing information of use to trade unionists and employee reps.
 
In addition to affiliating, we also separately pay for access to a number of LRD products – including their online services.

As part of which, all RMT members are entitled to read and download every LRD booklet and magazine. The content, which is fully searchable and includes both current and back issues, can be accessed at www.lrdpublications.org.uk/
 
The logon details are:
username: rmt
password: pot427
 
A new publication, Whistleblowing – A guide to the law is available here – http://www.lrdpublications.org.uk/publications.php?pub=BK&iss=1994
 
Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of Branch members.
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Retired Members Branch

The next meeting of the LT Retired Members Branch will be on Tuesday 5th November at 14.00 in Unity House, 39 Chalton St NW1 1JD.
The Guest Speaker will be none other than our General Secretary Mick Cash, talking about the challenges facing RMT and the forthcoming General Election, which is critical for the future of working people. 
 We’ll also discuss retirement issues, and hear reports on a range of other issues.  The minutes of the last meeting are attached.
Branch visit to the Postal Railway
At the last meeting we agreed to visit the ‘other’ Underground railway – the Postal Railway and Museum.  This will be on Wednesday November 13th.  Friends and partners etc are welcome, but we need money up front if you would like Martin Eady to book you a ticket at £13.50, so please bring cash.
 
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Human Waste on the Tracks

RMT appalled and disgusted as Government and train companies break promises over excrement on tracks
 
RAIL UNION RMT said today that revelations that train companies have reneged on a pledge to eliminate the dumping of excrement on the railway by the end of this year shows that profit is more important to them than the rail workers who will continue to who have to work in disgusting unsanitary conditions amongst the raw sewage.
In 2017 the Department for Transport said that by the end of 2019 all franchises would compel firms to ensure trains had modern toilets, this was also confirmed in Network Rail’s strategic business plan.
 
It has now emerged that several train companies have applied for exemptions. East Midlands Trains have been given permission to continue to dump sewage on the track from fast trains running between London St Pancras to Nottingham and Sheffield. Other companies still understood to be operating trains that dump excrement on tracks include Northern, West Midlands, Scotrail and Transport for Wales.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“Our members were promised that this year would see the end of the filthy and disgusting practice of dumping raw sewage on Britain’s railways, a practice which sees track workers routinely sprayed with human excrement and fleet staff left to scrape it off the bottom of trains.
“The pledge to end the practice was hard won by RMT and the fact that it has been reneged on shows the utter contempt that the rail companies have for rail workers.
“The blame for this broken promise, which means the continuation of this disgraceful practice that shames Britain’s railways, lies at the door of the greedy train companies, and their reluctance to retro-fit tanks due to cost, and this Government and their appalling attitude to the staff who work in the transport industry. 
“In the run-up to the general election RMT will be making an issue of this shameful Government sanctioned practice and there will be no let-up in RMT’s campaign to bring the dumping of raw sewage on the tracks to an end as soon as  possible.”
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Do you want to be an RMT Rep?

We elect all our representatives and officers for the branch every year in November.

 

So if you wish to be a rep or support someone else that does, then please come to the Branch AGM

 

Branch AGM Details

 

 

What a rep does?

 

Union Reps: They represent you. They should listen to your views and make sure management hear and act on what our members want. They are here to help you if you have problems and if you get in trouble. Sometimes it will seem like the only friend you have is your union rep. So support them to support you

 

Health and Safety Reps: We come to work to earn money, not to go home in a body bag or hurt. Unionised work places are safer. We work together with companies and sometimes in conflict to make sure that our work places are safe. Your reps carry out inspections and investigations and regularly meet with companies to ensure it is safe at work

 

Union Learner Reps: We want everyone to fulfil their potential. That can be through pay and conditions but also through education. Union Learner Reps are here to help you through education. They can help you find courses and maybe get release from work and funding

 

 

 

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Rmt Elections: Jared Wood for NEC

Dear ALL

 

Please note that elections for the RMT are carried out by the Electoral Reform Society and election forms come via a white envelope.

 

Your branch has nominated Jared Wood for the position of London Transport National Executive Member of the RMT.

 

Remember to use your vote in the RMT NEC election.

 

Look out for the white envelope from the Electoral Reform Society, it contains your ballot paper.

 

 

 

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LUL announce ERU and FRC Christmas Period Payment

The RMT has always demanded equality across all areas and staff working on LUL worksites.

 

Whilst we welcome the below payments, we also believe that all workers deserve to be rewarded for working during certain periods such as Christmas and we are therefore approaching the company to obtain commitments for all other areas and staff to working during the same period

 

LUL Bulletin

 

Asset Operations, ERU and FRC

Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve working arrangements 2019
Christmas Day working arrangements 2019

  • 1. Employees whose shifts start on or after 22:00 hours on Christmas Eve will
    receive an additional £285 payment for each shift worked on Christmas Day. For example if an employee works two shifts, i.e. 22:00 hours on Christmas Eve and then again at 22:00 hours on Christmas Day, they will receive an additional £570 payment (2x £285).
  • 2. Employees booking on duty before 22:00 hours on Christmas Eve will also
    receive the additional £285 payment provided that they work the majority of their shift after 22:00 hours on that night.
  • 3. Employees booking on duty before 08:00 hours on Boxing Day will also receive the £285 payment for that shift.
  • 4. Employees who are required to be on call during this period but are not called out will receive an additional payment of £50 per shift in accordance with the dates and times specified above. If called out then the additional £285 payment will apply.
  • 5. These are gross payments and are subject to tax and national insurance
    deductions.
    New Year’s Eve working arrangements 2019
    1. An employee working any rostered night shift will receive an additional £228 over and above normal pay.
  • 2. Licensed volunteers working a night shift will receive an additional £228 over and above normal pay.
  • 3. Any employee working on New Year’s Eve, whose shift finishes after 22:00
    hours, will receive their normal rate of pay plus £228. This payment will not be made to employees in categories 1 and 2.
  • 4. Employees booking on duty before 08:00 hours on New Year’s Day will also
    receive the £228 payment for that shift.
  • 5. Employees who are required to be on call during this period but are not called out will receive an additional payment of £50 per shift in accordance with the dates and times specified above. If called out then the additional £228 payment will apply.
  • 6. These are gross payments and are subject to tax and national insurance
    deductions
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2019 General Election

2019 General Election
 
As you will be aware a General Election has been called for Thursday 12th December 2019.
 
This matter was considered by a Special Meeting of the NEC this week, who have determined in line with existing policy that the union adopts the same approach as it did previously at the 2017 General Election.
 
Therefore, RMT’s position for the 2019 General Election is as follows,
 
The outcome of this election is clearly either a Labour Government led by Jeremy Corbyn whose key policies include support for trade union and employment rights, repeal of anti-union legislation, public ownership of the railways and opposition to austerity or a Tory Government who wish to introduce even more vicious anti-trade union legislation, further austerity and privatisation and attacks on the working class and therefore it is clearly in the interests of RMT members for Labour to maximize its vote, for the Tories to be defeated and for there to be a Labour Government led by Jeremy Corbyn.
 
The NEC have requested that our members be advised of this position and also the key policy commitments that Labour has previously given that will benefit our members, which I shall be compiling and sending out shortly.
 
The NEC has also determined that in line with our previous approach Branches can support Labour candidates from their political funds without any reference to the NEC.
 
Branches are also entitled to submit requests to support other candidates to the NEC for consideration under rule and in accordance with previous AGM decisions.
 
I will keep you advised of developments. 
 
Yours sincerely 
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Latest LUL Pay Offer

Dear RMT members
Today myself and our reps met LUL to discuss pay 2019. The company made the offer as attached
We immediately responded by saying that the RMT would seek to meet all our reps to discuss the offer. Therefore we cannot formally respond in this update  However  I stated that all pay deals in LUL are RPI linked in the past . Also any banked rest days can only be taken in line with our agreements
We still have some way to go in these pay talks
As soon as our NEC has considered the position there will be a further update
Thanks John Leach
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LUL Pay Talks Update 8th October 2019

LU have been forced to accept a Shorter Working Week must be part of any pay settlement but 30 Mins instead of a pay rise is unacceptable

For five months LU management have told us that there is no chance of a cut in the working week. Therefore the new offer that includes a 30min/week cut is welcome progress. The company cannot now argue that cutting hours is impossible. But the offer does not yet address the needs of RMT members on the tube.

 

Management want us to choose between a cut in hours or a pay rise. At the most recent ACAS talks management tried to get your RMT negotiators to accept that any cut in hours would be financed by reducing the pay rise. As you would expect, RMT refused to accept this. We say they should use the £360m surplus we generate to provide both.

 

RMT is prepared to talk to management about how a cut in hours could be implemented. We say any incremental cut must be banked and made available as banked rest days. Each function could then decide how to use these days, either in the roster or as leave.

 

We need whole days away from work, not 6 mins off a shift. What difference does it make whether you start a dead early at 05:00 or 05:06?

 

RMT has also made clear to management that all elements of our pay claim that includes Priv for all, a minimum increase to help the lowest paid and the upgrading of all CSA2 positions to CSA1 remain on the table and must be addressed.

 

Talks are due to continue but LU must understand that our patience is limited. Failure to properly address our claim will result in a ballot across the job.

 

Our demands:

 

  1. Management’s offer of 30 min cut in working week can only be the start of cutting the working week towards 32hours/4days
  2. RMT does not accept that LU cannot find more money to fund a pay rise and a more meaningful cut in hours
  3. Use the £360m surplus to provide more rest days and mitigate the terrible health impacts of our shifts
  4. Any incremental cut in the working week must be as banked time that can be taken as banked rest days
  5. 6 mins off a shift is no help to anyone. We need quality time away from work to recover from shift work.

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