Author: Paul

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PM, the Mayor and being Open

When it comes to disclosures about people’s salaries that work for TFL and other public bodies, it seems Boris and his mate, Dave are more than happy that the public has a right to know. They believe in accountability and openness apparently. It is not a private matter, its a public one

However, when the PM appears to tell ‘porkies’ about overseas accounts, it is a different story and it took a week for him to reveal the full facts regarding his £30,000 account. Nice gift too from his mum of £200,000.

We all pay our taxes because we have to and because ultimately that money is used for the essential services that we need. There is no morality when our so called ruling classes are telling us we have to cut, telling us we are all in it together, taking our NHS and everything and right we have away from us, whilst at the same time they ‘avoid’ paying their tax and playing their part.

In their view, us underlings pay our share and we should pay their share too. We are not in it together, we are in it alone and they are in it up to their snouts.  As Jeremy Corbyn  has said “this is money that’s taken from our health services, our local services.”

So next time Dave and Boris is talking about how much a tube driver earns, perhaps they should remember that at least they pay all their taxes, unlike many of the country’s rich

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Paris Demonstration against Anti-Labour Laws

The LUEngineering branch sends solidarity to the 15,000 Workers and Students that have been and continue to demonstrate in Paris and across France against proposed Labour Laws.

The fight against austerity is seldom reported by the ‘free’ press owned by the mega rich such as Murdock. I cannot think why they would not find workers in struggle a news worthy item unless acceptance of them taking what we have is their agenda. Even the BBC reported more on who won the ‘Voice’ than the this story

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Thales RSS & DTS Pay Talks: Final Position

Talks with Thales have reached a near Final Position with Thales offering 1.7%.

The RMT have stated that they are looking to see this money incorporated into RSS Benchmark Figures and also resolve outstanding pay issues such as Annual Leave Payment Backpay.

Once talks have finished, which we expect to complete within the next week, then the offer will be put to our members to accept or reject

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LUL Track Patrolling Dispute

Following talks a Final Position has been reached with the Company. Please let your local reps know if it is acceptable or whether we reject it

Track Patrolling Cleshars Staff Dispute Resolution Agreement

  1. This agreement does not form part of any night tube agreement and the Track staff will be party to any further additional enhancements
  1. Cleshars staff will not be trained or assessed for patrolling from the date of this agreement.
  1. During the period up to 31st Dec 2016 a pool of Track Operatives will be identified and trained to T001 to cover any shortfall of Skilled Ops on HGW.
  1. RMT agree for rosters to be changed to Monday to Friday for Bakerloo Line Track Nights staff and Sunday to Thursday for Victoria and Central Line track staff. The existing B&V roster will be ended. The rosters will change from no sooner than 1st week of June with the date to be agreed as soon as practicable
  1. Staff who do not wish to change to the appropriate roster for their line will be required to specify a location of their preference and volunteers sought there to swap shifts. However if no volunteers are forthcoming these staff will be required to transfer (or swap) to the nearest gang vacancy that can accommodate their existing working pattern.
  1. Existing B&V Nights track staff (i.e. those in post at 4th April 2016) who currently work a roster that attracts 7 banked rest days will retain their seven additional rest days for 2016. From Jan 2017 that will reduce to 4 days each year.

These rest days:

  • will not be contractual in the event of retirement or leaving the company
  • must be taken throughout the year and cannot be carried over
  • will be retained by these staff if promoted to other operational grades that operate the same roster pattern within B&V track nights
  1. From the implementation of the new rosters the existing B&V Track Inspectors and Section Inspection Managers (i.e. those in post at 4th April 2016) who work permanent nights will receive 2 rest days for 2016. From 2017 this will increase to 4 days each year.

The conditions associated with these rest days are the same as those attached to 7 a) to c) above.

 

Roster Change Cleshar Patrolling Agreement Final

 

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Tube Lines Pay/ Night Tube and Pensions

Following LUL Tube Lines continually stating that they would offer the same pay and night tube deal to Tube Lines staff as LUL employees, the RMT was shocked to find that compulsory roster changes and refusal to peg PRP to the general pay increase were among a raft of differences in the offer that finally came from TLL.

The RMT notified the company that they would not be accepting inferior terms and conditions and that they wanted full settlement of Pay, Night Tube and Pensions as our members had waited long enough. Our members deserve the same conditions as LUL.

The RMT ballot matrix is now completed and Tube Lines will be served in the very near future with notice of our intention to ballot.

 

Pay Night Tube offer RMT 05 02 16

 

Latest Tube Lines Leaflet Tube Lines Mar16v3

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Major Transport Projects may be Compromised

General Secretary Mick Cash said;

“Major transport infrastructure projects are compromised by a failure to plan for the future in terms of the skilled workforce Britain needs to drive forwards.

“There has been a catastrophic failure in terms of workforce planning with skilled engineers seen for too long as a group that can be kicked about, downgraded and casualised with severe consequences for the country as a whole.

“The government need to get a grip and they need to do it now if we are to address the skills gap in the transport industry that RMT says is all set to worsen in the future. ”

 

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Blacklisting High Court latest figures

  1. Blacklisting High Court latest figures:

Over 180 blacklisted workers settled their claims after renewed offers from the firms in the past 2-3 weeks. The estimated cost to the firms for these cases alone is in the region of £15-20million plus legal costs (which could be considerably more).
There are 154 live claims remaining (across all legal teams) plus 82 recently issued new claims. The next hearing is a Pre-Trial Review on 21st April. The full trial starts on 9th May and is scheduled to run until 31st July.

 

Pix: https://www.facebook.com/AAB3213/

https://www.facebook.com/familiesagainstblacklist/?fref=ts

Press:

https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3790/700-blacklisted-workers-to-take-on-construction-firms-in-high-court-battle

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2016/04/04/long-lost-blacklist-computer-unearthed/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

http://planningandbuildingcontroltoday.co.uk/hr-skills/high-court-battle-blacklisted-workers-begin/23452/

 

  1. Corporate Criminals

Blacklist Support Group teamed up with the ‘BP or not BP?‘ campaign to host a rebel exhibition inside the British Museum last weekend to highlight the unethical relationship of cultural institutions and corporate criminals. One exhibit was a Hart Hat artwork by BSG Artist in Residence, which has now been donated to the official collection under the Museums Act.

http://www.historyofbp.org/hard-hat/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DCQhlrCsek

 

  1. Radical Film Network conference – blacklisting workshop with Shaun Dey (Reel News), Stewart Hume (UNITE), Phil Chamberlain & dave Smith

STUC

Glasgow

29th April – May 2nd

 

  1. Major spycops conference

Doreen Lawrence, John McDonnell, Imran Khan, Diane Abbott, Jenny Jones, Helen Steel & Dave Smith all confirmed speakers

Subvesrion, Sabotage & Spying conference – with blacklisting as one of the workshops

16-17 April 2016

South Bank Uni

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/undercover-with-paul-lewis-and-rob-evans/2016/mar/30/doreen-lawrence-to-speak-at-conference-on-undercover-policing-and-racism

http://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=107

 

Blacklist Support Group

book: http://newint.org/books/politics/blacklisted-secret-war/

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlCa8yQmZ70

blog: www.hazards.org/blacklistblog

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/blacklistSG/

 

 

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RMT SETS OUT SIX KEY REASONS FOR LEAVING THE EU

TRANSPORT UNION RMT SETS OUT SIX KEY REASONS FOR LEAVING THE EU

TRANSPORT UNION RMT today set out six key reasons why it will be advising members to vote to the leave the EU in the forthcoming referendum:

 

  1. Leave the EU to end attacks on rail workers

New EU rail policies are set to further entrench rail privatisation and fragmentation. That will also mean more attacks or jobs and conditions and EU laws will make it impossible to bring all of rail back into public ownership.

 

  1. Leave the EU to end attacks on seafarers and the offshore workers

The EU has promoted undercutting and social dumping leading to the decimation of UK seafarers. The same is now happening in the offshore sector. EU directives also require the tendering our public ferry services.

 

  1. Leave the EU to end attacks on workers’ rights

It’s a myth that the EU is in favour of workers. In fact the EU is developing a new policy framework to attack trade union rights, collective bargaining, job protections and wages. This is already being enforced in countries which have received EU “bailouts”.

 

  1. Leave the EU to end Austerity

If you join a union you expect members of the union to protect each other in times of trouble. The European Union has done the opposite. It has used the economic crisis to impose austerity and privatization on member states. Instead of protecting jobs and investment EU austerity is driving UK austerity.

 

  1. Leave the EU to stop the attack on our NHS

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) trade agreement being negotiated between the EU and the United States will promote big business at the expense government protections and organisations including our NHS! Environmental regulations, employment rights, food safety, privacy laws and many other safeguards will also be secondary to the right of corporations to make even bigger profits.

 

  1. Leave the EU to support democracy

The vast majority of the laws that affects our lives are now made in the EU and not the UK. We have no say over those Laws. As the late Tony Benn said in 1991…

 

“We are discussing whether the British people are to be allowed to elect those who make the laws under which they are governed. The argument is nothing to do with whether we should get more maternity leave from Madame Papandreou [a European Commissioner].”

RMT will be promoting the six key points direct to members across all sectors of the transport industry through the union’s RMT NEWS, through branches and reps and through the union’s social media platforms.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“RMT is proud to stand up for the tradition of progressive and socialist opposition to the European Union, an organisation wedded to privatisation, austerity and attacking democracy.

“It would be frankly ludicrous for a union like ours to support staying in a bosses club that seeks to ban the public ownership of our railways, attacks the shipping and offshore sectors and embraces the privatisation of the NHS and other essential services that our members depend on.

“RMT has set out the six core reasons for our members to vote to leave and we will be campaigning hard on this platform.”

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GOLDMSITH'S ATTACK ON LUL WORKERS’ TRAVEL CONCESSIONS

RMT HITS BACK AT TORY MULTI-MILLIONAIRE GOLDMSITH’S ATTACK ON LONDON TRANSPORT WORKERS’ TRAVEL CONCESSIONS

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“At a time when the multi-billion pound tax-dodging racket of the super-rich is all over the media it is disgusting that Tory multi-millionaire Zac Goldsmith is threatening the long-established travel concessions for hard-working London transport workers.

“Not only are the hereditary multi-millionaire Goldsmith’s figures a total joke but the fact is that if London needs more investment in transport and policing it should come from the gangsters, crooks and tax-dodgers who use this City as a dumping ground for their dirty money.”

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LUL Track Patrolling Dispute

Following talks with LUL and meetings with affected members, we believe we are close to achieving an acceptable solution that guarantees job security and patrolling being done by internal staff.

Further talks are scheduled for tomorrow and talks will focus on the below skeleton agreement. It must be stressed that NO AGREEMENT have been reached and our members will and are being fully involved in this process

 

(Draft) Track Patrolling Cleshars Staff Dispute Resolution Agreement

  1. This agreement does not form part of any night tube agreement and the Track staff will be party to any further additional enhancements
  1. Cleshars staff will not be trained or assessed for patrolling from the date of this agreement.
  1. During the period up to 31st Dec 2016 a pool of Track Operatives will be identified and trained to T001 to cover any shortfall of Skilled Ops on HGW to eliminate the need to use the existing licensed Cleshars staff for track patrolling.
  1. RMT agree for rosters to be changed to Monday to Friday for Bakerloo Line Track Nights staff and Sunday to Thursday for Victoria and Central Line track staff. The existing B&V roster will be ended. The rosters will change from no sooner than 1st week of June with the date to be agreed as soon as practicable
  1. Staff that do not wish to change to the appropriate roster for their line will be required to specify a location of their preference and volunteers sought there to swap shifts. However if no volunteers are forthcoming these staff will be required to transfer (or swap) to the nearest gang vacancy that can accommodate their existing working pattern.
  1. Staff will be able to apply for overtime on other lines and departments if available. A list of staff available to work and licences will be circulated to appropriate parties.
  1. Existing B&V Nights track staff (i.e. those in post at 4th April 2016) who currently work a roster that attracts 7 banked rest days will retain their seven additional rest days for 2016. From Jan 2017 that will reduce to 4 days each year.

These rest days:

  • will not be contractual in the event of retirement or leaving the company
  • must be taken throughout the year and cannot be carried over
  • will be retained by these staff if promoted to other operational grades that operate the same roster pattern within B&V track nights
  1. From the implementation of the new rosters the existing B&V Track Inspectors and Section Inspection Managers (i.e. those in post at 4th April 2016) who work permanent nights will receive 2 rest days for 2016. From 2017 this will increase to 4 days each year.

The conditions associated with these rest days are the same as those attached to 7 a) to c) above.

 

 

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Section 15: Working in a Possession

Following intensive discussions with LUL and Tube Lines management over the Section 15 dispute, progress is consistently being made to ensure that we have a safe system of work for the track.

The initial work has focused on working safely within a possession and a draft document has been produced to further comment (see below).

 

Working in a possession 3 – April 2016

 

LUL have also agreed the following:

Summary of the discussion:

  • Code of practice as attached to be shared at your branch meeting and then ratified with RMT executive if acceptable to our members
  • Briefing presentation powerpoint to be altered to reflect today’s agreed changes to code of practice
  • Possession masters and possession worksite access controllers to be given training as a priority in the new code of practice
  • Pilot sessions for the briefings to be held in May with feedback given
  • Bob Doyle to provide schedule for briefings to take place
  • Approx 1st June – briefings to commence for all maintenance staff and code of practice to be launched
  • After 1st June – condensed on site briefing at all possessions to be given to staff for the duration of the briefing period (note – this will not replace the standard briefing)
  • Approx 1st July – new updated BTA/IWA/PWT training to be launched

Briefings

  • To be delivered in groups of 15-25 people
  • To be delivered by a trainer or trainer equivalent
  • Staff to sign for briefings
  • Staff to be given a physical ticket to say that they have been briefed – we are looking at whether this can be indicated on track certificates
  • Staff that will be working in possessions will be prioritised to attend briefings first
  • RMT representative to attend each briefing

We believe talks are continuing to be collaborative and successful in helping achieve our aim of safety first for track working and access. Without the solidarity shown by our members, none of this would be achievable

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