Category: RMT

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NATIONAL retired members’ ADVISORY CONFERENCE 2016

 

Circular No: NP/200/15

TO: The Secretary,

All Retired Members’ Branches and Regional Councils

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

NATIONAL retired members’ ADVISORY CONFERENCE 2016

 

Arrangements have been made for the 2016 National Retired Members Advisory Conference to take place on Thursday 21st April, commencing at 13:00 in the Concert Room, Doncaster Trades & Labour Club, Doncaster.

Nominations

 

The Advisory Conference consists of a maximum of four delegates per Region. Retired Branches, or where applicable Regional Councils, are invited to nominate retired members as delegates. Four nomination forms are enclosed herewith.

 

Nominations are also sought for the National Advisory Conference Liaison Committee which consisting of two delegates per Retired Member Branch, or where applicable Regional Council. Two nomination forms are enclosed.

 

Please also find a nomination form for internal conference positions and external committees.

 

The closing date for receipt of nominations at Head Office is Friday 11th March 2016. Head Office will meet delegates’ legitimate travel and subsistence expenses but only with valid receipts.

 

May I please bring to your attention to Rule 4 of the National Retired Members Advisory Conference Constitution:

 

“Each Retired Members Branch shall have the right to nominate four delegates, who shall be retired members or have been resettled under ill health or PT&R.

 

In the event of a Regional Council having more than one Retired Members Branch, two nominees from each Branch shall be permitted, subject to a maximum of four nominees per Regional Council.

 

A Regional Council which does not have a Retired Members Branch may, if it so wishes, nominate four delegates.”

 

Therefore only Retired Member Branches or a Regional Council without a retired member branch can nominate delegates to the Conference and Liaison Committee. Nomination forms received which are not supported by a Retired Members Branch or a Regional Council will not be accepted.

 

I would therefore advice branches in a region which does not have a Retired Members Branch to go through the appropriate Regional Council to ensure retired members can attend the conference and Liaison Committee.

 

Resolutions

 

I would also take this opportunity to seek resolutions for inclusion on the Conference Agenda. Resolutions, which must deal with issues directly relating to pensioners, should also reach Head Office by Friday 11th March 2016.

 

The Conference is entitled to submit two resolutions, which must deal with issues directly affecting pensioners, to the Union’s Annual General Meetings. Two representatives of the Advisory Conference may attend the Annual General Meeting to move the resolutions.

 

Accommodation

 

As you will be aware the Retired Members Conference was moved from London to Doncaster as a result of the increasing number of delegates attending this event. This has inconvenienced some delegates who have to travel a great distance. It has been agreed that accommodation in Doncaster will be offered on a limited basis to those delegates who have a genuine problems with travelling.

 

If a delegate meets the above and requires one nights’ accommodation can they please indicate this on the Conference Nomination Form.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

 

 

 

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RMT EDUCATION PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION 2016.

To: All Branches & Regional Councils, Regional Organisers and Head Office Officers.

 

Dear Colleague

 

RMT EDUCATION PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION 2016.

 

The union has for almost 2 years had a ‘partnership’ agreement with Northern College, in particular a working relationship with the college Trade Union Education department. This arrangement has proved very beneficial to the Union in terms of advice and expertise drawn from the many years the College has been a Trade Union Education provider.

 

During this period it has also been possible to ‘accredit’ our own programme, which essentially allows our members completing courses at the Bob Crow National Education Centre to receive ‘academic awards’ that are of real value. It has also enabled us to have our individual courses properly tested against external assessment, provide quality training and ongoing support through tutor observations to our RMT Lay Tutors as well the ability to draw funding towards the cost of our education programme. This has been against a background of continuing attacks on education funding by the government that has beset Northern College and all other TU colleges. The funding situation for adult education generally is still precarious in the medium term.

 

In the current in-house review of each of our courses (ongoing) and changes to education funding again it has still been possible to devise a new and enhanced ‘reward’ system for our members going forward into 2016, which fits the requirements to continue with an accredited programme. In 2016 it is intended that three new levels of achievement will be available to members completing courses in Doncaster.

 

  1. An Award in RMT Trade Union Studies, provided for Workplace Reps Level 1
  2. A Certificate in RMT Trade Union Studies, provided for Workplace Reps Level 2 & 3, Branch Officials Level 1 & 2, and also for courses such as Pensions (5 days), Equality, and work is ongoing for to ensure each of our stand alone courses attract this certificate level.
  3. An Advanced Certificate in RMT Trade Union Studies, this will require the RMT member to complete the Advance Certificate Parts 1,2,3 & 4, covering, Representation, Organising, Communications, and Campaigning – over a period of time to suit them.

Those seeking to complete this Advanced programme should have completed the Workplace Reps Level 1 & 2 and/or Branch Officials Level 1 & 2, in previous years.

 

The Workplace Reps Intro course remains a vital starting place for all wanting to embark on a programme of education and training to contribute to the work of organising a strong RMT and representing our members. These Workplace Reps Intro courses should be run in all regions and the costs are met by Head office.

 

I hope you will welcome this development, for further information please contact the RMT National Education Officer at a.gilchrist@rmt.org.uk

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Mick Cash

RMT General Secretary

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Serious about equality

RMT takes equal opportunities seriously.

 

This means listening to women, black and ethnic minority, lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender members. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with respect and dignity in the workplace.

RMT listens to its members and has three National Advisory Committees:

  • Black and Ethnic Minority Members’ Advisory Committee
  • Women’s Advisory Committee
  • LGBT Members’ Advisory Committee

 

Nominations are now being invited from Branches for all of the Advisory Committees for the next three year term, January 2016 – December 2018.

If you want to be nominated, contact your Branch Secretary for more details. Members do make a difference and by joining together, we can change things for the better.

 

Join us in our fight for equality – make your voice heard! Equality Matters

 

Poster for advisory committees 2016-2018

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RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 AND NIGHT RUNNING – LONDON UNDERGROUND

 

OFFICIAL CIRCULAR

 

TO ALL BRANCHES AND REPRESENTATIVES

ALL UNDERGROUND AND FORMER LT EMPLOYERS

 

 

 

23rd September 2015                                                          Circular No IR/224/15

 

Dear Colleagues,

 

RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 AND NIGHT RUNNING – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/0001)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/211/15, 3rd September 2015), the General Grades Committee has taken the decision to keep this issue under review and has reiterated that we are still in dispute and will reinstate industrial action if and when necessary if our just demands on pay and Night Tube are not met.

 

I will keep you informed of all further developments.

 

EVERY JOB MATTERS – DEFENDING JOBS ON LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/5)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/211/15, 3rd September 2015), the General Grades Committee has taken the decision to keep this issue under review and has reiterated that we are still in dispute and will reinstate industrial action if and when necessary if our just demands are not met. Also, to launch a political campaign in tandem with the London Transport Regional Council and to seek a meeting with our Parliamentary Group to seek backing to reopen ticket offices and to reinstate lost jobs. We will be seeking support from candidates in the 2016 GLA and London Mayoral elections that they will pledge to reopen ticket offices and reinstate lost jobs on the Underground.

 

I will keep you informed of all further developments.

 

RE-GRADING OF WATERLOO & CITY LINE SERVICE CONTROL STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/2/2)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/200/15, 20th August 2015) the ballot concluded with members’ voting as follows:-

 

Are you prepared to take strike action?

 

Total Votes Cast                3

Number Voting ‘Yes’           3

Number Voting ‘No’            0

Spoilt Papers                     0

 

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

 

Total Votes Cast                3

Number Voting ‘Yes’           3

Number Voting ‘No’            0

Spoilt Papers                     0

 

Having considered correspondence on file from our Lead Officer and Central Line East Branch Secretary after discussions with affected members, the General Grades Committee has taken the decision to call on all Waterloo & City Line Service Control members to take further strike action by NOT BOOKING ON for any shifts that commence between:-

 

  • 21:00 hours on Monday 28th September 2015 until 23:00 hours on Wednesday 30th September 2015.

 

LUL management must be clear by now on our legitimate and reasonable demand for re-grading and I have recently re-iterated that we will not accept an offer which is based on a change in members’ duties or which would cause a detriment to other members. Although LUL has declined our request for arbitration at ACAS, they are aware that as always we remain available for talks to resolve the dispute.

 

I will of course keep you advised of all further developments.

 

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – KEOLIS AMEY DOCKLANDS (DLR/14/2)

 

Further to my previous Circular (IR/211/15, 3rd September 2015), a report has been received from the Lead Officer who has discussed the issues with our DLR Branch Secretary and written to Keolis Amey Docklands to seek an urgent meeting with a view to resolving the serious issues at hand.

 

This matter has been considered by the General Grades Committee, which has instructed me to place the matter back before them when the Lead Officer has received a reply from KAD. I will of course keep you advised of all further developments.

 

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

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Welcome New Starters

 

New Starters Leaflet

 

Branch Secretary Paul Jackson,
Mob: 07810 643 681
Email: LUEngineering@rmt.org.uk,
Email (LUL Addresses): PaulJackson.rmt@gmail.com

Welcome to the RMT.

Dear Colleague,

Our Branch looks after many of the activities of the Infrastructure companies that undertake work on London Underground. We are currently the largest RMT Branch in the country and have very many diverse roles among our membership. These range from the General Secretary of the RMT (who is in our Branch) to high ranking managers, from Permanent Way Staff to administrative staff. We even have a lorry driver! We currently have members from nearly forty different companies and we can proudly state that we are an ALL GRADES union.
As a new member you may well have a few questions about what is going on within the union, who your local representations are, sort out any problems or advice that you need etc. One good place to find these answers is by coming to the Union Branch Meetings. We meet on the first and third Wednesday of every month at the Savoy Tup, 2 Savoy St, The Strand, London. WC2R 0BA. This is only a few minutes walk from Holborn, Temple or Covent Garden stations. You can also just give me a call or email me on the contact details shown above and I will be more than happy assist you. Also please check that your details are correct (this can be done online at www.rmt.org.uk) and you notify your union if you change locations or grades.
Below are also some phone numbers to RMT Helplines that you may find useful:
Criminal Helpline: 07659 118 181
Personal Injury: 08457 125 495
RMT Helpline (non-work related legal): 0800 376 3706 or email info@rmt.org.uk

 

You can also find out more info at www.luengineeringrmt.co.uk
Or join ‘like’ us on facebook www.facebook.com/luengineering.rmt or ‘follow’ us on twitter https://twitter.com/LUEngineering

Many thanks,
Paul Jackson

 

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In honour of Bob Crow

In honour of Bob Crow  –  bike ride London to Paris 5 to 7 September 2015 in aid of the British Heart foundation

 http://lastinghope.bhf.org.uk/london-to-paris-bike-ride?dm_i=1QIB,1Q6HK,H86M71,656W9,1

Ben Anderson, Daniel Davies, John Hendy (QC) and Anthony Hoarau (son) are the ‘Red Riders’! we are cycling a gruelling 400KM From London to Paris in aid of the British heart foundation. By undertaking this great challenge we hope that with your help we can raise awareness and fund research into heart related illnesses.
A wise man once said ..“ if you get up and fight you might lose, but if you don’t fight you will definitely lose”.

This is a message that resonates with us as we hope that by supporting the British heart foundation we can fight heart disease which is a leading killer of the under privileged and poor of the western and developing world.

We ride from London to Paris in memory of the late and great Bob Crow, a man with a huge heart and defender of the working people and hope we too can ‘hold the banner’ in some small way and keep his memory and legacy alive.

Nicola Hoarau

Office Manager

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RMT tables response to LU at ACAS Tube dispute talks

RMT tables response to LU at ACAS Tube dispute talks

 

TUBE UNION RMT has set out a position statement in talks with London Underground at ACAS over pay, night tube and continuing job cuts. The LU management have taken away the statement, and responses from the other unions, for consideration.

 

RMT’s position covers the following ground:

 

  • Suspension of two fleet trainers at Ealing Common without pay for carrying out lawful industrial action. RMT’s sees this as provocative, aggressive and an escalation by LU and demands an assurance by the end of today that the staff have been returned to work immediately with their pay reinstated.

 

  • RMT will continue to engage through the ACAS process on the three separate issues in dispute, Fit for the Future Stations, Pay and Night Tube. The settlement of these issues will need to be properly resourced to secure progress.

 

  • RMT opposes the “gun at the head” conditional and confrontational approach adopted by LU which is not conducive to constructive talks. Current agreements must not be undermined or overridden as part of the process. The pay offer of 1% in 2015 and RPI or 1% in the two subsequent years is not acceptable and the union seeks a guarantee of RPI plus. However, in order to make progress RMT suggests deferring immediate discussion on pay at this time.

 

  • RMT is not opposed to Night Tube by agreement and with all issues properly addressed, including:

Rosters and Work/Life balance for all grades to be properly agreed with no one required to work more nights and weekends than at present. Headcount reviews will be required to meet agreed staffing levels in all functions

All volunteers for Night Tube to be properly rewarded, in order to facilitate the new working practices we expect proper rewards and recognition for all.

Transitional Night Tube proposals for Train Operators to be developed, agreed and extended to all functions and grades as part of any agreement.

The Fit For the Future proposals to ensure that all staff have comparable numbers of weekends off with appropriate changes to current agreements to allow new means of rostering the future cover structure which is to be agreed by consent.

 

General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“RMT has made it crystal clear from the start that in return for the very basic guarantees and assurances sought on work life balance that the union will work to agree a final form of station rosters for all areas. A final agreement would have as its basis the best work-life balance and reward for staff while addressing the needs of the business which may well require additional staff resources.

“London Underground  and the Mayor can throw out whatever propaganda they like direct to staff but until these issues are addressed, and the threat of imposition of the rosters is removed,  the dispute will not be resolved and it is now time for them to recognise that and to start negotiating seriously around our position statement. We’ve seen the proposed rosters and if management and Boris Johnson want to know what staff think they should take a trip to depots like Leytonstone and White City and hear what our members think of being rammed in to what are now known across the job as the “rosters from hell.”

“It is also clearly difficult to make progress while Boris Johnson, as Mayor of London and Chair of Transport for London, is boxing in his negotiators through the media while refusing to get his hands dirty himself by talking to us. That is a major obstacle and is at odds with the way that the First Minister intervened directly in Scotland to broker a settlement in the ferries dispute. The ball is now in LU and the Mayor’s court.”

 

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RMT calls for Urgent Meeting with Boris

With Boris Johnson taking direct control of Night Tube dispute RMT calls for urgent meeting

 

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

 

“It has become clear from the media coverage over the past forty eight hours that Boris Johnson has taken direct control of the current tube dispute.

 

“As the Night Tube is his personal project, and as chair of Transport for London, it is now time for the Mayor to reverse his long standing policy of not meeting with the trade unions and to give our negotiators an opportunity to set out the facts to him directly.

 

“From the Mayor’s statements it is clear that he has not got the message that this dispute is not about money it is about work/life balance and it is essential that with Mr Johnson now taking charge of the dispute that he grasps the fundamental issues. That can only happen through a direct meeting which looks like it’s now essential to making serious progress towards a resolution of this dispute. “

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VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TRANSPORT WORKERS POSTER

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TRANSPORT WORKERS POSTER

 

I am pleased to report that earlier this year the European Transport Workers’ Federation Women’s Committee endorsed the RMT submission for the poster competition “Violence against women transport workers – it’s not part of the job”.

 

A few copies of the poster are enclosed for distribution and display in workplaces.  If you would like more copies, please do contact our Equal Opportunities Officer, Jess Webb, j.webb@rmt.org.uk

 

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 Violence against women posterv2

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ELECTION OF NATIONAL PRESIDENT

To: The Secretary, All Branches

 

Dear Colleague

 

ELECTION OF NATIONAL PRESIDENT

PERIOD OF OFFICE 1st JANUARY 2016 – 31st DECEMBER 2018

LIST OF CANDIDATES & CANDIDATES’ BRANCH CIRCULARS

 

In accordance with Rule 13, Clause 6, I am writing to advise you that the following nominations were received at this Office on or before Saturday 25th July 2015:

 

Name                                       Employer                                                          Branch

Dave Gott                               Network Rail                                      Bassetlaw

Jim Gray                                  Abellio Scotrail                                   North Clyde

Mark Harding                          London Underground             Hammersmith & City

Sean Hoyle                              Wightlink                                            Portsmouth

Derrick Marr                          Abellio Greater Anglia                       South East Essex

Steve Shaw                              Northern Rail (currently C of E)        Wigan

Glenroy Watson                     London Underground             Finsbury Park

 

Also, I hereby publish the candidates’ Branch Circulars, as received by this Office on or before Saturday 25th July 2015.

 

Branches that have not already nominated a candidate in this election may do so by using the form attached to Circular MF/57/15, dated 25th June 2015, which contained full details of the ballot requirements and election schedules. These should be completed and sent to Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD, to arrive no later than Wednesday 16th September 2015.  Nominations received after this date cannot be accepted.

 

Voting will be by postal ballot by members of the Union. Ballot papers will be sent to all members entitled to vote during the week commencing Monday 5th October 2015.  Completed ballot papers must be returned to the independent scrutineer, Electoral Reform Services, by no later than Monday 7th December 2015.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Mick Cash

General Secretary

Branch Circulars

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