Category: LUL

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Ex-UKPN Pay 2015: Update

The RMT and its sister unions met with LUL Management last week to discuss the issue of the difference between the final year of the UKPN and the first year of the LUL Pay Deal i.e the 2015 element of both deals.

LUL have stated that ex-UKPN will only receive RPI + 0.25% and not the LUL deal of RPI + £500 consolidated into the salary. They also stated that moving forward they would be placed into year 2 of the LUL deal going forward.

The RMT contended that this was not acceptable. It was not fair to put people onto a multi-year deal without them receiving the full benefit of the higher pay rise for 2015.

We also argued that the agreement we reached with the company was for ALL grades and did not exclude any members of staff whatever contractual terms they was on.

LUL refused to budge on the issue despite the RMT, supported by the TSSA union, continuing to push them on the issue.

The meeting ended with us stating that we wished LUL to put their position formally to us in writing and that we would then go to our members to see what action to take next and to also seek a legal opinion on the matter.

The issue is clear, this is about being fair and it is about honouring agreements. The salient part of the agreement is below showing the agreement is for all members and accepted for ALL members.

 

RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015
In the context of this dispute settlement, recognising all elements, the following offer is made on Pay
2015:
Term: A 4 year deal covering 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2019
Basic Salary 1 April 2015
An average increase on Basic Salary of 2% from 1 April 2015 comprising as follows:
• 1% plus, a flat rate of £500 consolidated increase for all grades in recognition of our
transformation to a 24-hour passenger service operation

 

 

RMT accept Pay for ALL members

 

Dispute resolution LUL

 

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TfL Pension: 'Transfer In' Issue Won (existing members only)

Following pressure and a concerted campaign by the RMT through the Pension Consultative Committee Members, Trustees and Unity House, LUL have been forced to allow existing TfL Pension Scheme members to transfer benefits from other funds into their TfL Pension.

This means that former Metronet and Tube Lines (among others)  who are already in the TfL Pension scheme now have the option to take their existing pots from other pension schemes and transfer that money into the TfL Scheme. This should only be done following independent financial advise.

The TfL Pension initially prevented this from happening six years ago, however, following our campaign, they recognised that they could no longer maintain this position without a rule change of the Pension Fund, something that would have been severely opposed.

Now the struggle continues to get all staff in LUL (ex-Metronet etc) and those in AP JNP entry into the TfL Pension. AP JNP (Tube Lines) staff are in the process of being balloted over this issue

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TFL PENSION FUND – 2015 TRIENNIAL ACTUARIAL VALUATION

TFL PENSION FUND – 2015 TRIENNIAL ACTUARIAL VALUATION

Following the 2015 triennial actuarial valuation of the TfL Pension Fund the results reveal a deficit of £396 million with a funding level of 95%. This is a significant improvement on the previous valuation carried out in 2012 which revealed a deficit of £699 million (funding level of 89%).

While investments have significantly performed between valuations this gain has been offset by the reduction in other assumptions such as the discount rate. The discount rate is an assumption on how well investments will perform in the future.

In effect the improvement in the funding level is equal to the deficit correction payments made into the fund between 2012 and 2015. I would add that while the deficit has reduced the future service cost (benefits built up in the future) has increased.

Presently the employer makes annual future service contributions of 20.4% and deficit recovery contributions of 10.6% totaling 31%. Under the schedule of contributions the employer is also due to make a deficit correction payment of £37.8 million by March 2018. Members pay contributions of 5% of pensionable earnings.

However, while the shortfall has reduced there is still a deficit which needs to be corrected.

Following discussions between the TfL Pension Fund Trustee and the employer the following agreement has been reached:

  • To increase the employer future service contribution rate from 20.4% to 25.55%
  • A deficit recovery period running until 2023
  • Reduce the employer deficit correction contributions from 10.6% to 5.45%
  • The employer to make a one off lump payment of £37.8 million in March 2018
  • Member contributions to remain at 5% with no changes to benefits

The National Executive Committee in consideration noted and adopted the following report on 19th April 2016:

“We note that the Trustee and TfL have agreed to a set of proposals to recoup the deficit in the TfL Pension Fund.

While it is noted that our representatives on the Trustee Board requested that the recovery period should be shorter, this union accepts the final agreed proposals.”

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TFL PENSION FUND – CONTRACTING-OUT PROPOSALS

TFL PENSION FUND – CONTRACTING-OUT PROPOSALS

As a result of Government legislation Defined Benefit (Final Salary) pension schemes, such as the TfL Pension Fund, are no longer able to contract-out of the State Second Pension. As from 6th April 2016 both members and employers will see their National Insurance Contributions (NIC) increase by 1.4% and 3.4% respectively as the rebate associated to contracting-out is abolished.

While members will have no choice but to accept the increase in NICs, the Government has put in place legislation which will allow employers to recoup their additional payroll cost by either changing future service benefits or/and  increasing contributions without the need of trustee consent. However, employers will have to consult with members and their representatives.

TfL have stated that they do not intend to recoup their contracting-out National Insurance Contribution rebate, estimated to be £25 million per annum. This means the employers additional payroll cost will not be passed on to members of the TfL Pension Fund. However, management has indicated that this may be reviewed in the future.

Government legislation allows employers a five year window between 2016 and 2021 to recoup the rebate.

The National Executive Committee in consideration noted and adopted the following report on 19th April 2016:

“We note that the employer has informed the TfL Pension Fund Trustee Board that they do not intend to recoup their additional payroll costs associated to the ending of contracting-out.

 

However, while this is good news for members of the fund it is noted that management have indicated that they may revisit their decision. Therefore, any future developments should be reported back to the National Executive Committee.”

 

I will keep you informed of any developments.

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RMT Circular 14th April 2016

OFFICIAL CIRCULAR

TO ALL BRANCHES AND REPRESENTATIVES

ALL UNDERGROUND AND FORMER LT EMPLOYERS

 14th April 2016                                                                   Circular No: IR/111/16

 

Dear Colleagues,

CLOSURE OF LILLIE BRIDGE DEPOT – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/15/1)

As Branches and members may recall (Circular No. IR/584/13, 7th October 2013), agreement was reached to resolve the previous dispute with London Underground in 2013 over the proposed closure of Lillie Bridge Depot. However, it now seems that this agreement has been breached and I have recently received the following resolution from our LU Engineering Branch:-

“Ballot of all RMT members in Lillie Bridge Depot and those affected. Lillie Bridge Depot Closure and Breach of LU Company Council Agreement.

 Talks at LU Company Council aimed at averting a dispute were successful and ended in an agreement that the Beaumont Ave end of the depot would be opened up to allow works traffic in and out during the Lillie Rd development, and that LU/TfL would consult the RMT in good time as and when the TfL/Capco development plans progressed to affect the depot again.

 Beginning this year notice has been given to our departments Track Delivery Unit, Maintenance Infrastructure Services, Track Manufacturing Department, Material Management Department (Stores), Transplant, Fleet Maintenance, District Line Trains and Plant Services at Lillie Bridge Depot that we are required to vacate the depot by 2019.

 The timescales are very tight: 

  • The Feasibility Study for the move to Acton Depot has to be done by May 2016 (1 month) the concept approval for what happens to all of us based in the depot is due to be completed in June 2016 (2 months).
  • We have had little only one consultation meeting despite raising the urgency of the situation at both the last LU Track & Signal Functional Council and LU Company Council, and no real progress has been made.
  • At this consultation meeting on 8th March 2016; it was agreed to hold a further consultation meeting before Easter 2016. This has not happened and my reminders to LU in the intervening period were first ignored and then the consultation meeting refused despite my advice this would lead to a failure to agree.

 

RMT Reps and members and this Branch will not be satisfied until we have:

 

  1. An agreement signed off at the highest LU/TfL level setting out an acceptable location for us all to move to.
  2. An agreement signed off at the highest LU/TfL level that all the finances needed to fund the move plus any building etc at the new location is agreed to be made available.

 

We request a meeting of all Reps from all areas and companies with affected staff to decide whether to ballot in their areas too.

 Because LU are breaching the previous LU Company Council agreement to consult adequately in good time; and due to the extremely tight timescales we are now in dispute.

 RMT LU Engineering Branch requires a ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike of all affected RMT members and members in TDU, MIS, TMD, MM, District Line Trains and Fleet, Plant Services (Tube Lines Ltd).

 The livelihood and continued work of all affected RMT members is under a most severe threat due to London Mayor Boris Johnson’s wish to wrap up the Capco/TfL luxury housing development deal for the super-rich between Earl’s Court, West Kensington and West Brompton ahead of the Mayoral election at the expense of local tenants, residents and the jobs of our RMT members affected by the accompanying demolition of Lillie Bridge Depot.

 The RMT has spent years successfully defending our members at Lillie Bridge Depot which is one of, if not the most solid RMT depot on London Underground.

 We will resist this blatant attack with all forms of action necessary”.

 

This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the decision to prepare a ballot matrix for all affected RMT members and organise an all grades Reps meeting to discuss the implications of this attack on our members’ terms and conditions and future job prospects. Also, to provide and fund the necessary leaflets and propaganda and to link up with the local community campaign against the redevelopments in the Earl’s Court, West Kensington and West Brompton areas of West London.

 

I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep you advised of all further developments.

 

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, TRAIN OPERATORS, PICCADILLY LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/073/16, 17th March 2016), members took part in solidly supported strike action on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th March which closed down the Piccadilly Line. However, management took the aggressive stance of threatening our members that they would lose wages if they refused to book on at Oakwood Depot and the National Executive Committee took the decision to rescind this instruction.

Since then, LU agreed to meet at ACAS and constructive discussions with LUL Directors took place on Friday 8th April. These talks led to an offer of a review of industrial relations on the Piccadilly Line to be led by an ACAS nominated representative on the basis that it will lead to a binding dispute resolution agreement. The Company has also agreed to ‘stay’ the disciplinary procedures against members over booking on at Oakwood and hold a Director’s review over Sister O’Loughlin.

The above represents good progress from management over these issues and the Lead Officer has recommended that the strike action due to take place from Tuesday 19th April is pushed back to allow more time to hopefully come to a firm dispute resolution agreement.

This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has noted the reports on file and taken the decision to cancel the planned strike action between Tuesday 19th and Friday 22nd April 2016. Instead, affected members are now instructed NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts that commence between:-

  • 12:00 hours on Tuesday 26th April 2016 and 11:59 hours on Wednesday 27th April 2016. 
  • 12:00 hours on Thursday 28th April 2016 and 11:59 hours on Friday 29th April 2016.

 

I will keep you advised of all further developments.

 

CHANGES TO CLEANING OPERATIONS – INTERSERVE FACILITIES (KEOLIS AMEY DOCKLANDS CONTRACT) (DLR/15/4)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/073/16, 17th March 2016), the ballot has concluded with members voting as follows:-

 

Question: Are you prepared to take strike action?

 

Total Votes Cast                34

Number Voting ‘Yes’           33

Number Voting ‘No’            1

Spoilt Papers                     0

 

Question: Are you prepared to take industrial action short of a strike?

 

Total Votes Cast                34

Number Voting ‘Yes’           30

Number Voting ‘No’            1

Spoilt Papers                     3

 

This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee and referred to the Southern Sub-Committee for further examination and report. I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.

 

BREACH OF CORE WORK AGREEMENT, CONTRACTING OUT AND USE OF SECONDARY CONTRACTORS – FLEET GRADES – LUL (LUL/13/1)

 

The Lead Officer has recently advised that our Fleet Reps have registered a failure to agree on two issues; S-Stock Shoe Gear Replacement and Breaches of the Core Work Agreement.

 

An agreement was reached for a trial where BTUK controlled inspections on S-Stock Shoe Gear but, if the trial had not resolved the issue of shoe gear not lasting up to the 25k maintenance target by the beginning of April, this job would come under Fleet duties and extra staff would be added accordingly. Last week, management made it known that they would not honour this agreement.

 

LUL management has also stated that the airbag replacement programme on the S-Stock is a warranty issue and as such BTUK would be carrying out this work which involves stripping the train bogies to get to this piece of equipment and they are employing contractors JMac to do this. RMT stated that whilst we could accept them changing out the airbags, the lifting and lowering of the bogies and stripping them out is Fleet work and as such, LUL Fleet staff should be doing this. Management rejected this position and also stated that any warranty work will be done by BTUK. This could cover any aspect of work on the train and is therefore in conflict with our Fleet Core Work Agreement. Furthermore, it brings in more agency staff through the back door.

 

This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has noted the correspondence on file and that there is a major attack on our Fleet Core Work Agreement and taken the decision to prepare a ballot matrix of all affected RMT members so that we can prepare for industrial action in defence of our agreements. Also, to organise an all grades Reps meeting and to provide the necessary leaflets and propaganda material.

 

I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep you advised of all further developments.

 

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

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RMT TO BALLOT LILLIEBRIDGE DEPOT

RMT TO BALLOT FOR ACTION AT MAIN TUBE TRACK MAINTENANCE AND RENEWALS DEPOT

 

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has begun preparations for a ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike for all staff working out of the main track maintenance and renewals depot at Lillie Road in Earls Court.

 

Staff at the depot have gone into dispute after they got caught in the middle of a mad dash by Mayor Boris Johnson to bulldoze through the demolition of whole swathes of the Earls Court area to open the door for luxury housing for the tax-dodging super rich before he hands over the keys to City Hall in May. It is that drive that has led to a scramble to vacate the Lillie Road depot, riding roughshod over agreed consultation timetables and threatening the jobs and working conditions of the RMT members caught in the crossfire.

 

Earlier talks at LU Company Council aimed at averting a dispute were successful and ended in an agreement that the Beaumont Ave end of the Lillie Road depot would be opened up to allow works traffic in and out during the development, and that LU/TfL would consult the RMT in good time as and when the TfL/Capco development plans progressed to affect the depot again. Capco are the luxury property development partners of TFL.

 

Hoever at the beginning this year notice has been given to all departments at Lillie Bridge Depot that we are required to vacate by 2019. This sudden compressing of the timetable means that the Feasibility Study for the move to Acton Depot has to be done by May 2016 – a few weeks away – and the concept approval for what happens to all staff based in the depot is due to be completed in June 2016 – less than two months away.

 

No progress has been made on any serious consultation leading RMT to the conclusion that the process is being rail-roaded at the behest of the Mayor and his property developer partners.

 

RMT’s demands are simple, clear and reasonable:

 

  1. An agreement signed off at the highest LU/TfL level setting out an acceptable location for us all to move to.

 

  1. An agreement signed off at the highest LU/TfL level that all the finances needed to fund the move plus any building etc at the new location is agreed to be made available

 

The failure to offer those agreements has triggered the move to a ballot.

 

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

 

“The livelihoods and jobs of all RMT members at Lillie Road is under severe threat due to London Mayor Boris Johnsons wish to wrap up the Capco/TfL luxury housing development deal for the super-rich between Earls Court, West Kensington and West Brompton ahead of the Mayoral election. The bulldozing through of these plans is at the clear expense of local tenants, residents and the jobs of  RMT members affected by the accompanying demolition of Lillie Bridge Depot.

 

“The RMT has spent years successfully defending our members at Lillie Bridge Depot and we are not going to take this latest attack that all stems from the obsession with luxury property speculation in this City.

“RMT remains available for talks.”

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RMT SLAMS "TRANSPORT FOR LONDON BILL" MULTI-BILLION POUND RIP OFF BY THE SUPER-RICH

RMT SLAMS “TRANSPORT FOR LONDON BILL” MULTI-BILLION POUND RIP OFF BY THE SUPER-RICH

Tonight, Tuesday 12th April, the Transport for London Bill has its third reading – a Bill which transport union RMT has slammed as a “multi-billion pound rip off tailored yet again to the tax-dodging, global super-rich.”

The Transport for London Bill was introduced into Parliament to help TfL maximise, at all costs, the profits that it makes from developing its property.

Specifically, under clause 5 of the bill, TfL would have been able to enter into novel company structures – including opaque, tax avoiding offshore structures known as “limited partnerships”. Limited partnerships are well-known vehicles for laundering capital and were used recently to defraud the Moldovan Central Bank of millions.

RMT in conjunction with Andy Slaughter MP, John McDonnell MP, and numerous other labour MPs and the Save Earls Court Campaign combined together to petition against the Bill and try to prevent the most ill-conceived aspects of it from becoming law.

As a result of our campaign, TfL finally conceded defeat on clause 5 and abandoned its attempt to acquire the power to enter into limited partnerships. However, it persists with the remainder of the bill.

The union has undertaken further investigation into how TfL was persuaded to engage in the development of the Earls Court site – the model for future TfL development. After an examination of Capco’s (the property developer behind Earls Court construction) annual report, new concerns have arisen.

Specifically, a note in Capco annual report causes us to believe that the TfL Bill still has potential for TfL to give away its assets too cheaply and too riskily. In the case of Earls Court, TfL has already invested nearly £400 million in Earls Court Partnership Limited non-interest bearing loan notes – notes which are not redeemable until 2064 [Note 1].

Under clause 4(2) of the TfL Bill, TfL would be able to permit “charges” to be entered against its property as a way of funding joint property development. To raise finance more cheaply, TfL would be able to mortgage its assets to fund property development activities.

There is a fresh financial crisis brewing – meaning that there is an increased risk of corporate defaults – especially in the over-leveraged property sector. TfL is entering the property development game at precisely the wrong moment and in precisely the wrong way.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“The wholesale withdrawal of central government financial support for TfL is forcing it to risk its assets in complex property gambles no matter how dodgy and no matter what the real cost to Londoners.”

“The construction firms with which TfL plans to engage, are running rings around TfL, helping the hapless organisation offload its prime London assets at well below the market rate.

“We have no confidence in TfL to be able to secure a fair price for its land – and our concerns are borne out by its dreadful governance failures in relation to the development of Earls Court.”

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Briefing on State Aid complaint alleging Earl's Court developer

The RMT and LUEngineering Branch have been working hand in hand with the local community around Earls Court to save our LillieBridge Depot and support the West Kensington and Gibbs Green Estates against social cleansing.

Below is some information about the campaign and how state aid is used to help the rich get richer.

 

State Aid Complaint summary final

 

WKGG News 24

 

Briefing on state aid complaint March 2016

 

Earl’s Court: Complaint to European Commission alleges Council gave £1.5 billion in unlawful state aid to Capco

A West Kensington resident has submitted a formal complaint to the European Commission alleging that Hammersmith & Fulham Council gave £1.5 billion of unlawful state aid to Capco, the company redeveloping Earl’s Court. The state aid arose from the Council’s previous Conservative administration signing a contract for the sale of 22 acres of land occupied by the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates for £90 million – well below market value. For the past seven years, the estates have been at the centre of a high profile campaign by residents to save their homes from demolition.

The amount of unlawful state aid provided by the Council to Capco was estimated on four different commercial bases. All of them showed a very large element of state aid. The analysis, carried out by consultant Dr Richard Fordham, estimated, on the strongest basis, state aid of £1.5 billion. This was calculated using figures Capco published in its annual results on 25 February 2016, which showed the company valued the profit on a similar sized area of adjacent land at £1.274 billion.

The complaint to the European Commission highlights many unusual features of the arrangement with Capco, including:

  • Capco was chosen by the Council for the scheme without a public tender, in contravention of Government Guidance on the sale of public land. The Council offered no logic for avoiding a tender process. The market was not tested; and many other well-qualified development companies in London and the EU were denied the opportunity of bidding for the land. Therefore it is impossible for the Council to prove that it obtained the best possible price.
  • The phased payments for the land, which run from 2015-2019, were not indexed for inflation, nor is there any review mechanism for the Council to benefit from property price increases. So no value growth was allowed for, despite the deal being struck when the property market was at its lowest point in the recession.
  • The Council used PricewaterhouseCoopers to confirm that financial due diligence had been satisfactorily undertaken and Jones Lang LaSalle to confirm the Council had obtained best consideration for the land. Both these firms were also engaged by Capco to audit its own accounts and value its Earl’s Court properties. PwC’s advice was so heavily qualified that, according to its letter, it did not constitute investment advice or provide an assurance.
  • The £90 million sale price for the estates’ land is far less than the current estimate of £140 million it would cost the Council to buy back homeowners and to obtain vacant possession from the secure tenants.
  • Although the 760 replacement homes were counted in the CLSA as part of the consideration for the estates, they were also calculated into the £452 million planning gain that formed the S106 agreement signed as part of the planning permission agreed in 2013.

Now that the European Commission has received the complaint it is for them to decide whether to mount an investigation. Should they find that there has indeed been unlawful state aid, the most suitable remedy would be either for the CLSA to be declared void and unenforceable or for Capco to pay £1.5 billion to Hammersmith & Fulham Council (net of £45 million it has already paid the Council).

Keith Drew, the resident who made the complaint, said: “The Council entered into a contract for the sale of our homes to Capco for a pittance. They used state resources to confer a huge exclusive unfair economic advantage on a wealthy developer. That £1.5 billion belongs to us. If this is not stopped, Capco stand to make an obscene profit out of public resources, causing misery to a community of 2,000 people. I hope the European Commission will mount a full investigation.”

23 March 2016

Additional information:

Article 107(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union states that any aid granted by a Member State or through state resources in any form whatsoever which distorts or threatens to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall be incompatible with the internal market, in so far as it affects trade between Member States.

In January 2013, the Council’s then Conservative administration signed a Conditional Land Sale Agreement (CLSA) with EC Properties LP, a Limited Partnership presently owned and controlled by Capital & Counties Properties plc, otherwise known as Capco (the name used generically by the Council to describe the holding company and limited partnership).

The CLSA requires the Council to transfer phases of the estates to Capco with vacant possession. In exchange for the estates land, Capco has to provide 760 replacement homes and pay the Council £90 million. But the Council has to buy back 171 homes from leaseholders and freeholders and arrange to rehouse all the tenants out of its own resources. Although it will then own 171 extra homes, it will have borne the associated costs of repurchase and taken the risk on the date of signing the CLSA that it would have to buy the properties at progressively higher points in the market to achieve the vacant possession it had undertaken to provide in phases over 25 years to EC Properties LP.

The CLSA is an option in favour of EC Properties LP, exercised wholly at their choosing. There are no obligations on them that can be triggered by the Council unilaterally without their willing participation. Thus, the Council cannot require EC Properties LP to proceed with, or once commenced to complete, the development. EC Properties LP can stop whenever it might be financially convenient for them to do so.

The Council claimed that only Capco could offer replacement accommodation so as to facilitate one rather than two moves for tenants. However, this was plainly wrong since the Council owned a redundant school in the middle of the estates occupying sufficient land area to have provided the replacement homes needed to empty out the first phase on the estates, and which it sold to Capco for £9 million, again without any tender or competition.

According to a review of the financial viability assessment conducted in September 2012 by District Valuer Services, the total Earl’s Court scheme value was estimated at £12 billion. Land Registry data puts the uplift in house prices in Hammersmith & Fulham between 2012 and 2016 at a factor of 1.57. This increases the total scheme value now to nearly £19 billion. Yet, the context for the price agreed by the Council in 2012 was a scheme value of £8 billion.

 

 

 

 

 

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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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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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