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2017 General Election – Tory Manifesto proposals to attack rail workers right to strike

2017 General Election – Tory Manifesto proposals to attack rail workers right to strike 

 

I am writing to draw your attention to the following extract from the Conservative Party Manifesto.

“We will work with train companies and their employees to agree minimum service levels during periods of industrial dispute – and if we cannot find a voluntary agreement, we will legislate to make this mandatory.”

This proposal is a deliberate attack on your union. It is an attack on the right of rail workers to take effective strike action. It is intended to weaken us in our battle to defend jobs, safety and conditions of service.

Whilst the details of how this draconian proposals will work in practice are not ‎yet clear it will mean that even if members democratically vote for strike action that ballot will be undermined by the requirement to provide a “minimum” service.

This attack comes on top of the Tory Trade Union Act which recently came into force which as you know amongst other measures required higher ballot thresholds and a requirement for two weeks notice of action.

This latest proposals is particularly dangerous as it means that even when the union is able to legally overcome the various hurdles in balloting legislation that won’t be enough because there will still be a requirement to provide a “minimum service”.

Moreover whilst the proposals currently only apply to rail services they will no doubt be extended to other transport sectors and beyond.

These proposals will only be enacted if the Tories win the election‎.

We can stop them by campaigning to defeat the Tories in this election and instead help deliver a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn. Please do all you can to help achieve that goal.

 

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

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RMT’s Mick Cash welcomes Labours’ rail campaign day

RMT’s Mick Cash welcomes Labours’ rail campaign day

Welcoming Labours’ rail campaign day today, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“The Labour commitment to British state ownership of our railways will end the debacle of three quarters of our railways being foreign-owned and UK passengers being ripped off with the profits shipped abroad to support other country’s railways.

“Fair fares, proper investment,  a safely staffed and accessible railway and ending the expansion of driver only trains shows Labour is on the side of passengers while the Tories do the bidding of the fat cat rail companies.”

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LUL TUPE to TfL

The RMT are organising a meeting set up specifically for our members and LU employees who are in scope for the proposed LU TUPE to TfL, on

Wednesday 10th May, 12 noon, at Unity House, Chalton Street, London, NW1 1JD

Senior Reps and Officers will be attending what we consider as the first consultation meeting with management today along with the RMT full time officer John Leach, RMT Engineering Branch secretary Paul Jackson and the other MATS FC Rep Lorna Tooley, and the outcome of this meeting will be discussed at the said meeting.

Please do your best to attend the meeting and please spread the invitation to your colleagues who are also in scope.

 

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LGBT+ PRIDE EVENTS 2017

My ref: EO/16

2nd May 2017

Circular No. NP/66/17

 

TO: THE SECRETARY

ALL BRANCHES & REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

 

Dear Colleague,

 

LGBT+ PRIDE EVENTS 2017

 

LGBT+ Pride events are opportunities for us to promote the union and our campaigns as well as to show support and solidarity for our LGBT+ community.  Confirmed dates of Pride Parades this year include:

Birmingham    27th May

London            8th July

Brighton           5th August

Cardiff             26th August

RMT will be looking to maintain its presence at these events and I encourage all members to get involved and along with their friends and family.  So far arrangements made are as follows:

Birmingham Pride: Contact Ken Usher (k.usher@rmt.org.uk) meet at 11am, Saturday 27th May 2017, Victoria Square, Birmingham.

London Pride: Contact John Stack, (m: 07941 809262, johntube@me.com) meet at Unity House, 10.30am Saturday 8 July.

For any queries please contact our Equal Opportunities Officer, Jess Webb (j.webb@rmt.org.uk).

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash

General Secretary

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Blacklisting: General Election

Every political party in the General Election is claiming to be the voice of the workers. Blacklisted construction workers know the score.

 

  1. Labour pledges a public inquiry into blacklisting: That gets our vote!

http://www.labour.org.uk/index.php/workers/

This pledge was announced by John McDonnell in St.George’s Hall, Liverpool last week in front of the huge Blacklist Support Group banner.

 

  1. Article in today’s Morning Star exposing the failure of the ECGR and British courts to protect blacklisted workers and challenging political parties to grant basic employment rights to all workers in the UK. If workers rights cannot be protected by judges in the UK or the European Court of Human Rights then it is time to change statutory legislation.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-dc1a-No-blacklist-justice-for-Britains-agency-staff

 

  1. In the same week as the ECHR ruling above, blacklisted electrician Frank Morris, is sacked again. This time on an NHS hospital. Let’s hear candidates queue up to call for Frank Morris to be reinstated.

Reel News video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iKhQdLpUm4&t=129s

 

  1. Spycops

New 59 page ruling from the undercover police public inquiry. Releasing the cover names of undercover police officers who spied on activists is a ‘priority’ but Lord Justice Pitchford allows Met Police another 12 months extension to carry out ‘risk assessments’ in preparation for more anonymity applications. But the police are not engaged in ‘delaying tactics’, oh no.

https://www.ucpi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170502-ruling-MPS-applications-re-SDS.pdf

Victims boycott Scottish police internal investigation

http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2017/05/03/spycops-victims-boycott-scottish-inquiry/

Scottish activist spied on by police seeks judicial review to win a Scottish inquiry

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/undercover-policing-scotland/

Other than John McDonnell and Jenny Jones, most politicians have been surprisingly quiet about the spycops scandal.

 

  1. May Day greetings from the Blacklist Support Group to all sisters, brothers & comrades fighting for their rights around the globe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh6vCsfaKWU&t=3s

 

  1. Dates for the diary:

Friday 5th May – Blacklisted worker turned academic Dr Jack Fawbert speaking on Corporate Crime 7 Blacklisting at Anglia ruskin University in Cambridge

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/anglia-ruskin-university-community-engagement-1110250731

22nd May – Last day to register to vote in General Election

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

 

  1. And finally:

Congratulations to the blacklisted workers and rank & file activists elected to represent construction on the UNITE Executive Council Frank Morris, Royston Bentham, Tony Seaman & Joseph Pisano

 

Blacklist Support Group

 

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Blacklist Support Group

  1. #spycops

Blacklisted workers were kept under surveillance by big business but also by the British state who exchanged information with major employers. BSG are among the core participants in the Pitchford public inquiry into undercover policing and will therefore be attending the protest at the next hearing:

Protest at undercover policing public inquiry hearing – all welcome

9am Wed 5th April 2017

Royal Courts of Justice

The Strand

 

The police have confirmed the name of another undercover police officer who spied on activists during the 1980s. His real name is Roger Pearce and he is now a writer but his assumed name was ROGER THORLEY. Which campaigns he infiltrated is so far unknown. Does anyone recognize or remember him?  Photo attached

http://powerbase.info/index.php/Roger_Pearce

 

Police admit to hacking activists emails & targeting Make Poverty History – oh and if you retire, they will drop all investigations of destroying evidence (apparently)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39341020

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/28/police-chief-investigated-over-alleged-destruction-of-green-peers-files

http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/15166440.Police_Scotland_confirms_secret_G8_file_on_notorious_undercover_police_unit/

 

  1. BSG Solidarity action:

Orgreave

We made some noise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKAAVgM0cqA

Pix: https://www.facebook.com/paul.rutland.94/media_set?set=a.1245970435499805&type=3

 

Don’t Buy The S*n

Blacklist Support Group together with the construction rank & file have paid for a Liverpool taxi to be covered in Don’t Buy The S*n livery – we are very proud to support such a worthwhile campaign and big thank you to Mo for allowing his taxi to be used. Photo attached.

 

Durham TAs

BSG were represented on the Durham TAs Day of Solidarity

background: http://shopstewards.net/2017/03/nssn-333-teaching-assistants-still-fighting-in-derby-and-durham/

Photos: https://www.facebook.com/familiesagainstblacklist/

 

Jobs Town Not Guilty

BSG are supporting anti-water charge activists in Ireland facing jail for a peaceful protest – including a 17 year old school student and Paul Murphy TD

https://sites.google.com/view/jobstownnotguilty/

 

Ferrybridge power station walkout

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-39427982

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/25134/29-03-2017/ferrybridge-workers-protest-against-race-to-bottom

 

New Internationalist

‘Blacklisted’ book was controversial and we received multiple legal threats prior to publication. The only publishers we could find who were prepared to take the risk were New Internationalist (NI), who have subsequently worked in collaboration with the BSG at political events in the Westminster and Holyrood parliament and were sponsors of our two day conference at the University of Greenwich last September.

 

New Internationalist are a coop who have been publishing their well respected magazine for decades and also publish a series of books. Following the success of Blacklisted, NI have now set up a new trade union imprint and will be publishing more books aimed at a union audience. In order to survive in the current economic climate, NI have decided to offer their readers the chance to buy shares in the coop. So far Desmund Tutu, John Pilger, Emma Thompson, Jarvis Cocker and Billy Bragg among others have supported the cause. This is the video (you might recognize some of the people and some of the books): https://youtu.be/eOO7ZuNkHUY

 

  1. Tories promise legislation against blacklisting of NHS whistleblowers – activists are not impressed

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/03/20/nhs-whistleblowers-will-get-compensation-blacklisted-health/

https://minhalexander.com/2017/03/23/protest-by-compassion-in-care-and-supporters-at-cqc-headquarters-buckingham-palace-road-22-march-2017/

 

  1. Dates for the diary

 

Crossrail prosecution over death of Rene Tkacik

silent vigil – Westminster magistrates court

Wednesday 12th of April at 2pm

nearest tube Edgware Road NW1 5BR

organized by Construction Safety Campaign supported by London Hazards Centre

 

International Workers Memorial Day

28th April 2017

Remember the Dead – Fight for the Living

http://28april.org

Bristol – with Phil Chamberlain – https://network23.org/bristolhazardsgroup/

 

 

  1. Letter sent by TSSA union to John McDonnell MP

Dear John,

RE: TSSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESOLUTION 11 – BLACKLISTING

 

I am writing to you with the text of a resolution carried by delegates at TSSA’s Annual Conference which the Union’s Executive Committee has asked me to convey to you:

 

“That this Conference supports trade union efforts to expose and challenge historic and current blacklisting.

Conference notes that the Labour Party is opposed to blacklisting and welcomes the statement by John McDonnell MP that ‘Labour will do everything in our power to ensure that taxpayers’ money is only given to companies with the highest ethical standards’.

Conference urges the EC to explore actions that can be taken to persuade Network Rail not to let contracts to known blacklisting companies”.

 

As you will know, TSSA is a union that operates principally within the rail industry in Britain and Ireland, and it is for this reason that the resolution also includes references to Network Rail, the infrastructure manager for most of the railways of Britain. The company carries out a lot of its renewal and enhancements work through using contractors and sub-contractors, amongst whom are Carillion and Balfour Beatty. Both of these organisations have been subject to judicial proceedings which ended up by being settled for significant sums of money in May 2016.

Whilst the payment of compensation is an admission of culpability by these and other construction firms, it doesn’t really recompense blacklisted workers for the hardships that they have endured. On this basis, I am writing to you to also convey TSSA’s support for your stance on blacklisting and to add our voice to calls to both remove offending companies from contracting lists (especially those used by public sector organisations like Network Rail) and to demand a public inquiry into the whole issue.

Yours sincerely

Rob Jenks​

Policy Advisor

 

Blacklist Support Group

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RMT BALLOT FOR ACTION OPENS TODAY OVER "LONDON BRIDGE THREE"

RMT BALLOT FOR ACTION OPENS TODAY OVER “LONDON BRIDGE THREE”  – TUBE STAFF SACKED AND DISCIPLINED FOR STOPPING VIOLENT ASSAULT

 

Tube union RMT has confirmed that balloting of station staff across the London Bridge and Waterloo group for both strike action and action short of a strike has opened today after one member was sacked and two others disciplined for intervening to stop a serious assault by a fare-dodger on fellow staff members including one who was pregnant. The ballot will close on the 18th April.

In the incident, which occurred last November, a fare-dodger assaulted three members of staff, including pushing a pregnant colleague in the stomach. One staff member had his glasses stolen and another was punched twice. That member of staff has now been sacked in what the union describes as an “appalling miscarriage of justice.” RMT has slammed LU for bogus and disgraceful claims that the female member of staff wasn’t assaulted – despite the fact that they admitted that crucial fact in the disciplinary hearings.

The staff member who initially challenged the fare-dodger to produce a ticket or oyster card was disciplined on the ludicrous, trumped-up charge of “ inciting or provoking an incident.” A third member of staff, who defused the situation after being repeatedly threatened with violence, has also been disciplined by London Underground when they should have been commended for their bravery.

As a result one member of staff has been sacked with the other two members receiving 52 week final warnings.

The sacked member of staff has since had his dismissal upheld on appeal leading to a warning from the union that it is actively looking at escalation of the dispute.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“This is one of the most appalling abuses of the LU disciplinary procedure that RMT has ever come across. This was a shocking, violent incident and those that bore the brunt of it should have been supported and commended by the company. Instead they have been sacked or disciplined in what is the most appalling multiple miscarriage of justice.

“The ballot for strike action and action short of a strike of station staff members at London Bridge and Waterloo opens today and the union is looking at a planned escalation if London Underground continue to pursue this outrageous vendetta against staff members set up and picked off for simply doing their job in a violent situation. The union also intends to bring this matter to the attention of London Mayor Sadiq Khan who cannot sit back and ignore a travesty of justice that is taking place on his watch.

“LU have flouted their own zero tolerance policy, their own duty of care to their staff and have sent out a message to fare dodgers and yobbos that staff can be treated as punch bags with impunity. That is an outrage that has enraged every single tube employee who risks their neck on the stations and platforms against a backdrop of a growing pattern of abuse and violence.”

 

“London Underground should do the decent thing – reinstate our member, lift the disciplinary action and send out the message that fare-dodging and violence will not be tolerated and that staff in the front line will get the support and assistance that they need.”

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PROPOSED TRANSFER OF ENGINEERING etc to TfL

PROPOSED TRANSFER OF ENGINEERING, MAJOR PROJECTS, PMO AND CHANGE DELIVERY ACTIVITY FROM LUL TO TFL

Following a communication sent out by LUL on Monday 27th March regarding the above, I am writing to all RMT LUL members to ensure you are clear on the above situation and RMT’s position in relation to the associated consultation process.

LUL and TfL advised in a letter dated 28th February of its proposal to transfer all Engineering, Major Projects, Change Delivery and PMO Activity from LUL to TfL and an initial ad-hoc London Underground Company Council meeting took place on 10th March. There are 1511 affected employees across the above functions but members covered by the Main Agreement are not affected and neither is Tube Lines part of these proposals. RMT immediately advised LUL that a proposed transfer date of 2nd April was far too short notice and the proposed transfer date is now 30th April 2017.

In the notice from LUL on Monday 27th March, it states that “thus far, the unions have chosen not to engage meaningfully in this process” but this is not the case at all. Your Regional Organiser John Leach has sought certain assurances from LUL and I have written on three separate occasions urging LUL to agree to three simple demands:-

  1. That no transfers or changes to terms and conditions will take place or be imposed without agreement from RMT.
  2. That the current LUL pay deal, which is incorporated into members’ terms and conditions will continue to be paid and implemented following this transfer in line with TUPE regulations.
  3. That LUL agree to full and proper negotiation and consultation over this major issue at London Underground Company Council Level.

The National Executive Committee has considered this matter and is completely resolved to resist these attacks by the Company with all means at our disposal. I will of course keep you advised of all further developments.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

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Branch Request to Ballot Tube Lines Northern Track

The LUEngineering Branch has received a request to ballot all track members on the Northern Line over an over zealous and incorrect interpretation of the Attendance Policy by two members of HR.

On two occasions now, RMT members have had their sick pay stopped for being off sick with ‘leisure’ related illness. In both cases, the members had been playing football and had not been previously warned by the company that their sick pay would be at risk should they hurt themselves. This is clearly a ridiculous situation, where people are trying to keep fit and healthy and are now penalised for their efforts.

What next, are we going to discipline people for picking up the remote control of their TV’s now in case they put their back out!

We call on Tube Lines to be sensible and reinstate the members pay. Urgent talks will now be called with senior management and in the meantime, we will produce a ballot matrix should a satisfactory outcome not be achieved

UPDATE: Following discussions with senior management they agreed that they would reinstate the members in question’s sick pay. They would be reminded of the policy and warned that sick pay may be stopped if this happened again. We thank them for their prompt and sensible actions in these cases

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GOVERNMENT PLANS TO AXE RAIL STAFF, COMPROMISE SAFETY AND RUN TRAINS ON THE CHEAP

RMT WARNS OF CO-ORDINATED GOVERNMENT PLANS TO AXE RAIL STAFF, COMPROMISE SAFETY AND RUN TRAINS ON THE CHEAP

Rail union RMT warned today of a co-ordinated Government plan to axe thousands of rail jobs including all drivers from Britain’s trains.

The Rail Capability Plan, just issued with Government and RSSB support, sets out proposals to further compromise and dilute the current safety regime and run ‘Autonomous’ trains on the cheap.

The plan states:

“Given the pace of development in Information and Communications Technology a completely new operational concept and train control and regulation capability can be developed over the short to medium term”.

The Department for Transport have launched a new innovation competition with up to £9 million to support UK businesses in developing technological solutions for the railway.

Inviting applications that “create high-value, low-cost railway innovations, which increase the value of rail services to passengers while driving down operational expense”  it goes on to say “Innovations in this theme need not be constrained by existing railway standards” but will “help deliver optimal staffing for a high-value, low-cost railway”.

 

One of the themes (No 8) is called Intelligent Trains and says “Intelligent trains will reduce the reliance on complex and expensive rail infrastructure and control systems and through automation transition the role of railway staff from direct control and operation to supervision”

 

It goes on to say “Intelligent trains will be aware of themselves and their surroundings, knowing where they need to be and when, and able to automatically adjust journeys to meet demand”

 

Four milestone’s including Driverless trains predict a bold future of Autonomous Trains capable of regulating their own passage through the network and is laid out clearly for everyone who works in the industry on page 27 of the plan:

 

Milestone A

Semi-automatic operation

Milestone B

Driverless operation

Milestone C

Unattended operations

Milestone D

Autonomous trains

 

Mick Cash RMT General Secretary said:

 

“The cat is well and truly out of the bag now. The Government are working hand in glove with the private train operators and the RSSB on a long-term plan for rail in this country that would axe thousands of jobs across the industry, hammer down on safety and run services on the cheap in the name of fatter profits – the majority of which will be shipped abroad by overseas state rail companies to subsidise their own domestic transport operations.

 

“The rail capability plan sounds innocuous enough but is, in fact, a blueprint for automation with the long-term objective of a faceless railway where passengers are left to fend for themselves without any human contact whatsoever. It is scandalous that this whole drive towards the faceless railway is being smuggled through without any serious scrutiny whatsoever.

 

“RMT is blowing the whistle on this disaster in the making and will continue to fight for a properly staffed and resourced railway where public safety comes before private profit.”

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March 17th RMT Circular

FULL-TIME TRAIN OPERATOR POSITIONS, CONTRACTED HOURS AND OVERTIME RATE – NIGHT TUBE DRIVERS – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/88/17, 24th February 2017), the ballot concluded with members voting as follows:-

 

Are you prepared to take strike action?

 

Total Votes Cast                64

Number Voting ‘Yes’           62

Number Voting ‘No’            2

Spoilt Papers                     0

 

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

 

Total Votes Cast                64

Number Voting ‘Yes’           63

Number Voting ‘No’            1

Spoilt Papers                     0

 

The Night Tube Drivers are congratulated for returning a hugely strong vote for both strike action and action short of a strike and the National Executive Committee has considered this matter and taken the decision to instruct all Night Tube Train Operator members to take strike action by NOT BOOKING ON for any shifts that commence between:-

 

  • 20:29 hours on Saturday 8th April 2017 and 08:30 hours on Sunday 9th April 2017

 

  • 20:29 hours on Saturday 29th April and 08:30 hours on Sunday 30th April 2017

 

I urge all affected members to stand firm together during this action to fight against the blatant discrimination from London Underground and demand equal opportunity for career progression and fairness regarding overtime pay.

 

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – LONDON UNDERGROUND (FLEET GRADES) (LUL/14/2)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/101/17, 3rd March 2017), all Fleet Grades members are reminded of the on-going industrial action:-

  • Not to work any overtime or attend training courses outside of normal working hours
  • Not to carry out any higher grade duty work
  • Not to change any shifts or work locations to assist with maintenance
  • No trainers are to carry out training for anyone on a job that is not their substantive role
  • No coaches to coach anyone on a job that is not their substantive role
  • Not to work if there is not a valid and in date WRA, COSHH, and Manual Handling Assessment
  • Not to work if there is no first aider on site

Despite further discussions with the Company, the key areas of concern are still unresolved and I urge all members to stand firm together to demand that management properly adhere to our agreed machineries and stop trying to impose fundamental changes to working conditions without any agreement from this Union.

I would be grateful if you could bring the contents of this Circular to the attention of your members and I will keep Branches advised of all further developments.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

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Inflation Rates Feb 2017

New Inflation Rates

 

The Office for National Statistics has published inflation figures for the twelve months to February 2017.

The Retail Prices Index (RPI) stood at 3.2% for the year to February 2017, up 0.6% from the year to January 2017.

Some private and public sector employers are attempting to sideline RPI as the measure for pay negotiations and are pushing other measures – such as CPI (2.3% for the year to February 2017, up 0.5% from the year to January 2017) or CPIH (2.3% for the year to February 2017, up 0.4% from the year to January 2017). These alternative inflation measures are not appropriate for pay negotiations as they are an inaccurate measure of workers’ average costs over the year.

Any attempts by an employer to link pay awards to CPI or CPIH must be opposed and logged with the National Policy Department.

 

Further information will follow in the Pay Bulletin and I would be grateful if you could bring this Circular to the attention of all Branch members.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

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