Category: Tube Lines

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Section 15 Acas Talks

SECTION 15 POSSESSIONS – LUL

Further to Head Office Circular NP/066/16, 17th February 2016 your National Executive Committee has once again considered a report of the Regional Organiser on talks with the company which are continuing. Management have taken account of RMT’s concerns and have agreed to our representatives’ suggestions for a safe system of accessing and exiting the track. Our representatives are now waiting on final documentation from the company and will be submitting a further report to the NEC.

In light of the positive nature of the discussions and as with their previous Decision the NEC have suspended industrial action planned for March 2016 and therefore members are instructed to book on as normal for shifts commencing between 06:30 and 18:29 on Sunday 6th March 2016, 06:30 Friday 25th March 2016 to 06:29 Saturday 26th March 2016 and 06:30 Sunday 27th March 2016 and 06:29 Monday 28th March 2016.

Industrial action called for the month of April, May and June will remain on.

In addition the instruction to take action short of a strike by doing no work of any kind in section 15 possessions and to take meal breaks as per the agreement has also been suspended.

I will keep you advised of all further developments.

BY STANDING FIRM TOGETHER YOU AND YOUR UNION HAVE MADE THE WORKPLACE SAFER

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Tube Lines Reps Meeting Pay & Pensions

Tube Lines Reps Meeting Report
The Tube Lines Pay Offer was put to all our Tube Lines reps at a meeting at Unity House on 23 Feb.

The discussions also included Pensions and Night Tube were discussed with all making a contribution.

The debate was focused again on how Tube Lines are again wanting something else before they will even talk about Pensions. This is despite talking about Pensions since 2012 and in 2015 agreed with all the efficiency savings and time scale to implement them yet they now want Night Tube Operating before they will talk to us again.
There were other items of concern at the meeting which are listed below;

PAY & NIGHT TUBE

  1. Same as LUL!! NO: Tube Lines have constantly ignored any negotiation and kept repeating the Mantra ” you will receive whatever is agreed with LUL “

Well this is now well and truly over as the two offers are very different in 2 important aspects.


At the meeting with Tube Lines we questioned the wording of “24 hour running” rather than Friday & Saturday night running. After some discussion with Tube Lines the LUL Employee Relations Manager admitted that as far as they were concerned if we agree to this then it means agreeing to the principle of 24 hour running any night and when pushed agreed that it means running more than Friday and Saturday. He did not disagree when questioned could that mean running more than 2 nights at Bank Holidays or Special Events. The LUL offer talks about Friday and Saturday running before mentioning 24 hour running. A very big difference !

  1. Extra Employment and Rostering: The second point with the Pay and Night Tube was the fact the LUL offer talks about those not wishing to work night tube can move to other lines or do other work with LUL committed to employing hundreds more staff to enable this to happen. They have GUARANTEED people can stay on their existing roster. Whereas Tube Lines have said that all staff have to work on Night Tube and that all rosters will change to reflect this. We did say to Tube Lines that our members should be given the same opportunities as BCV and LUL workers and allowed to opt out and if necessary move to SSL Lines, THIS WAS REFUSED OUT OF HAND.

At the reps meeting all this was fully and frankly discussed and taken together with Managements letter attached saying all this must not only be agreed but up and running before they would talk about Pensions it was completely rejected. We had a discussion on what was needed and about making sure we could deliver a big yes vote for industrial action and every rep was asked for their views on a ballot and if we could deliver. There were 32 reps present from all sections of tube lines and it was agreed UNANIMOUSLY to ballot for industrial action on Pensions, Pay and Night Tube.

It was also agreed that Pensions have to be at the front of this dispute and work has to be done on getting the Matrix up to date and a personal letter should go out to all members giving a history of the Pension dispute and reasons it is linked to pay and night tube together with our objections and why we also reject the Pay and Night Tube offer.

UNITY IS STRENGTH

Tube Lines Reps Meeting Report

 

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Tube Lines Pay/ Night Tube & Pensions

RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 AND NIGHT RUNNING

TUBE LINES AP JNP

Thank you for your report dated 28th February regarding the above. This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has taken the following decision:-

“Further to our Decision 173 of 28/1/16, a meeting of Tube Lines Reps with the Lead Officer, Senior AGS and NEC members was held on 23rd February. We note the report from the Lead Officer and the latest pay offer from Tube Lines. The Reps were unanimously of the view that the Pay and Night Tube offer is unacceptable, and that the Company’s refusal to discuss the Pensions issue until after the launch of Night Tube is also unacceptable.

 We therefore instruct the General Secretary to:-

 

  1. Inform Tube Lines that we reject their Pay and Night Tube offer, that we insist on the early resumption of talks over the Pensions issue, and that we are in dispute over these issues.
  2. Send a personal letter to all members, giving a history of the Pension dispute, the reasons it is linked to Pay and Night Tube, together with our objections and why we also reject the Pay and Night Tube offer. The letter should say that we will be holding a new ballot for industrial action on Pensions, Pay and Night Tube, and previous ballots no longer apply. The letter should ask members to confirm their membership details.
  3. Prepare publicity and distribute it to the workplaces.
  4. Prepare a ballot matrix of our Tube Lines members.
  5. Once this is completed, ballot our members for industrial action in the form of strike action and action short of a strike.

 London Transport Regional Council and Branches to be informed.

The decision and relevant papers should also be placed on file MRP2/10 Tube Lines – Action on Pensions.

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

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

 

Tube Lines Pay Offer

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Section 15 Update

Talks have been continuing under the auspices of Acas and through a formal LUL investigation into incidents that have occurred within Possessions in General.

Your representatives have reported a far greater willingness to listen and are reporting progress in producing a safe system of work for our members.

However, there is still work to be done and a formal meeting will take place at Acas at the end of the week to see if full and final agreement has been reached

 

LUL TLL Section 15 Newsletter

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Tube Lines Pay Offer

The following Pay offer was sent over by Tube Lines today. We have requested release of the reps to discuss this on the 23rd February

 

Pay Night Tube offer RMT 05 02 16

 

 

Issued to: JNP Pay and Night Tube

APJNP Pay and Night Tube

Following discussions with the Trades unions on Friday 5 February 2016, I would like to update you on the offer made with regards to Pay and Night Tube :-

This in summary includes:-

  • From 1 April 2015 – An increase of 1% plus a £500 consolidated flat rate increase to recognise our transformation to a 24-hour passenger service operation – Night Tube
  • From 1 April 2016 – RPI or 1% (whichever is greater)
  • From 1 April 2017 – RPI or 1% (whichever is greater)
  • From 1 April 2018 – RPI + 0.25% or 1%, (whichever is greater)
  • £500 non-consolidated launch payment to all operational employees for the successful launch of Night Tube
  • Full implementation of the Sunday to Thursday rosters to support Night Tube Operations
  • A full review of all the Transplant operations working arrangements to support with the long term commitment to improving work-life balance
  • A review of all the APJNP operations working arrangements to support with the long term commitment to improving work-life balance

RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015

In the context of this proposal, 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%1 plus, a flat rate of £500 consolidated increase for all grades in recognition of our transformation to a 24-hour passenger service operation
  • This is an above inflation increase for 2015/16.
    • 1 April 2016
    • RPI2 or 1%, whichever is the greater.
  • 1 April 2017
    • RPI3 or 1%, whichever is the greater.
  • 1 April 2018
    • RPI4 plus 0.25%, or 1% whichever is the greater

Payment of Basic Salary, to all eligible staff, backdated to 1 April 2015, will be paid through the first available Payroll following acceptance of this Offer.

Night Tube Launch Payment

The Night Tube service will initially be launched on the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Northern Lines. In recognition of this LUL undertakes to make a:

  • £500 non-consolidated payment to all operational staff upon the successful launch of Night Tube.

NIGHT TUBE

  • Putting in place A Sunday to Thursday roster patterns to support the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly all running Night Tube.
  • A post implementation review will be conducted of all functional-level arrangements by each relevant Council including consideration of staffing levels

The Night Tube payment will be paid through the first available Payroll following the successful launch of the service. The successful launch of Night Tube is defined as the service operating as planned for customers, with all rosters and changes to working arrangements in place to ensure sustained, continued operation.

Tubelines/APJNP and the TUs commit to a set of post agreement joint initiatives to give a more choice to staff to enhance their work life balance.

In principle Tubelines/APJNP has no objection to staff across in the operation working a compressed working week, or indeed any working pattern, as long as it is safe and mutually beneficial. Any change to working arrangements should be safe and mutually beneficial, for example delivering better work-life balance and more choice for staff, as well as business improvements.

More options to improve personal career development e.g.

  • Pursuing opportunities to create a reciprocal agreement with LU, LOROL and TfL Rail for staff to move to other similar roles within the TfL group.
  • Working with staff to identify new opportunities to improve personal development within APJNP/LU.

The Tubelines Pensions discussions to be reconvened following the acceptance of the Pay and Night tube pay award and successful launch of the Night tube operation

We are now awaiting feedback from the Unions with regards to this offer.

Yours sincerely

Andy Derbyshire

Head of Operations APJNP

 

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Section 15: Why the strike was suspended

Section 15: Why the strike was suspended

Following extensive talks at Acas, the demands from your representatives were very clear and very basic, WE DO NOT WANT TO BE KILLED AT WORK

The Management Teams from LUL were left in no doubt how seriously we took this and that we firmly believe that Section 15 is the culmination of a casualisation of Track Access Safety to a point whereby our members remain in serious and imminent danger.

We left both companies with a stark choice, in our opinion, that was to either remove the possessions themselves or risk the RMT members doing it for them. We demanded that the Possessions were stopped and we agreed a safe system of work for our members.

After lengthy talks LUL agreed the following

  • LU will suspend the operation of Section 15 for a two week period commencing on Friday 12 February.
  • This will allow for a period of concentrated joint working to address the issues raised in relation to the introduction and application of Section 15.
  • In accordance with the attached Terms of Reference, there will be two separate workstreams focussing on Track and Signals and Service Control respectively.
  • ACAS facilitated progress sessions will take place on 19 and 25 February to ensure that the discussions are proceeding productively and to provide any necessary assistance and guidance.
  • In consideration of the above RMT agrees to suspend any notified industrial action in relation to Section 15 scheduled to take place prior to 27 February, and undertakes not to institute any operationally disruptive industrial action during this period.

The Engineering Terms of Reference are below:

To review and revise as appropriate:

  1. A Safe System of Work for access and working in Section 15 and other possessions (any relevant conclusions from the FIR to be incorporated).
  2. OSN 122 (Section 15).
  3. Working in Possessions guidance document.

We will now work very hard over the next two week to make sure our members are safe at work. If agreement is not reached then we will name strike action again.

ENGINEERING UNITY IS STRENGTH

 

LUL Letter Section 15 Suspension

 

Section 15 Dispute LEAFLET

 

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LUL Tubelines: STRIKE SUSPENDED

SECTION 15 POSSESSIONS

Further to Head Office Circular NP/032/16, 28th January 2016, a report from the Regional Organiser and a letter from management with a proposal to resolve the dispute has been considered by the National Executive Committee. The NEC have adopted the following Decision:

Further to our Decision No.NWW of 28th January, we note the report from the Regional Organiser, and the letter from LUL on behalf of both LUL and Tubelines.

We accept the proposals from the management that they will suspend all Section 15 Possessions and return to the safe system of work from this Friday for two weeks. We note that further talks are planned.

 We therefore suspend our instruction to members not to book on for shifts between 06:30 Friday 12th February 2016 and 06:29 on Saturday 13th February 2016.

 We maintain our instruction to these members to take action short of a strike by doing no working of any kind in a section 15 Possession, and by taking meal breaks as per agreements.

 We continue with the ballot for action of our Service Control Grades over the imposition of Section 15 Protection.

 London Transport Regional Council and Branches to be advised. Members to be advised by text and e-mail.

 I am acting on these instructions.

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LUL Track Patrolling Dispute

LONDON UNDERGROUND TRACK PATROL STAFF TO STRIKE FOR 24 HOURS FROM FRIDAY MORNING

Tube union RMT confirmed today that nearly 500 London Underground track patrol staff are to strike for 24 hours from 0630hrs on Friday morning – 12th February – in a dispute over the use of private contractors to casualise and undermine their jobs.

LU are trying to bulldoze through, without agreement, the training of staff working for contractors, Cleshar, to undertake track patrolling duties in a direct attack on the job security of RMT’s track patrol members.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“This dispute is over an outrageous attempt to casualise and undermine the jobs of our London Underground track patrol members through an extension of the use of private contractors. The plan must be halted.

“RMT will continue to fight all attempts to undermine and casualise jobs across London Underground as the company looks to cut corners to meet Government austerity targets. This union will not accept the undermining of jobs, conditions and safety or the creeping privatisation of functions.

“The union remains available for talks.”

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Section 15 Strike: Acas Update

The issue of Section 15 Possessions and this Friday’s strike was today discussed at Acas. The RMT stated that they was concerned that LUL were turning track access into a death trap and wanted Section 15 Possessions suspended whilst a safe system of work was agreed.

LUL made the following commitment ‘to suspend AP (Maintenance) staff working in Section 15 Possessions from 9th February for two weeks to continue talks. This would not apply to CPD (Project) areas’

The RMT asked six questions:

  1. How would this be safe for CPD staff if AP staff needed to be withdrawn?
  2. Who exactly would be working in these possessions?
  3. Would Maintenance work take priority?
  4. How would CPD work as Service Control were in dispute too?
  5. We represent all staff and their health and safety and project staff live’s mattered to?
  6. Why can’t you just suspend Section 15 and use orthodox means of protection?

Following an adjournment LUL gave the following disappointing replies.

  • They felt Section 15 had positive benefits for safety
  • They felt CPD staff were more experienced for track access
  • That Service Control staff were adequately trained
  • Only one work group would work in a CPD Section 15 Possession
  • That they did not want to lose the momentum and experience they felt that they was gaining

We considered their answers wholly inadequate. We firmly believe that there have been enough incidents and lack of certainty over the process that someone will be hurt or killed. There is no reason LUL cannot suspend the use of Section 15, which is a process they already admit was flawed and rush in too fast.

The reality is a life of a track worker is not worth risking by a rushed implementation of a process that casualises track access to the level of the keystone cops. Therefore LUL have been informed that the strikes and action short will remain in place and that we will protect our members in all ways possible.

LUL have been told, that this action is not for any gain and is purely regarding Health and Safety and our right to go home safely.

We are returning to ACAS tomorrow

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Tube Liines Pay Talks Report

On the 5th February had an ad-hoc company council meeting with Tube Lines and for once unite and tssa turned up.

On the agenda was the following;

2015 Pay

RMT Ballot RRD’s and Driving, Track & Civil’s Section 15 Possessions

We requested that Pensions was also included on the agenda.

We started talking about Pensions and the fact that we have are still waiting for TFL pensions for all after reaching agreement on the savings and costs. Also that we pointed out when 2015 Pay was raised and management tied Night Tube to it we said we could not agree to Night Tube without Pensions.

Management refused to talk about Pensions until we agreed Pay and Night Tube and after that is all agreed they would then set up a meeting to talk about Pensions.

We of course again told them that as far as the RMT are concerned Night Tube and Pensions are linked and that Pensions have been on the table since 2012 and have had an agreement with the RMT to secure since 2015 left only to be ratified by the TFL Board. We even suggested Parallel talks which was rejected.

When management went on to talk about pay they did not have anything prepared although this was supposed to be the full and final offer which would mirror the LUL offer. We had to wait 20 minutes while management when and got a 1 page of paper to read off explains what the offer was.

We started questioning the offer and how it related to the LUL offer and it soon become clear that Tube Lines were not going to give the same offer as LUL regarding 4 day week, better rostering and movement of staff including leave. The RMT also raised the question regarding those Tube Line Staff on PRP. We were told that they are not part of the agreement but after a while it was agreed that all those in operations would receive the £500 lump sum consolidated. We also requested that the PRP Pay Bands were raised and that the 2% also be used as the figure for the PRP pay deal. They replied that they would consider this but it was not part of the Pay Negotiations.

As the talks continued it became clear that the offer did not mirror the LUL offer and was that bad and management so evasive that aslef said that they rejected the offer and that it was linked to the Pensions. Unite also supported our position.

Management then walked out refusing to continue talking and even refused to talk about important safety issues such as the Section 15 Possessions which were part of the agenda.

We requested that all industrial and health & safety reps are released on Tuesday 23 Feb for a meeting at Unity House for a full report back.

 

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Section 15: Frequently asked Questions

LUL have sent out a Bulletin regarding Section 15 Possessions and the Keystone Cop approach to safety. Here is our reply

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

 

 NOT Frequently Asked Questions – Section 15 Possession Protection

 

To:          RMT Members ONLY

Date:      2nd February  2016

I know nothing about Section 15. What is it?

Section 15 is one several possession protection methods in the various LU Rule Book 15’s. The difference with this protection method is that it is aimed at undermining the need to book out with the Track Access Controllers by booking on with god knows who on the night and remove the need for professional Protection Masters directly looking after you and your track access.

How does the Possession Master find out that the last train has gone and traction current has been switched off?

The Service Controllers (SC) are being balloted over this very issue. The awareness of last trains is clearly defined in Protection Master training and everyone knows what to do if they miss the last one. The Protection Master is therefore certain that it is safe to allow staff onto the track. It is about trying to save money and nothing to do with safety.

Does Section 15 change engineering staff access to possession worksites?

The amazing thing is that LUL seem to be claiming that it is NOT only Section 15 Possessions that are dangerous, they ALL are. Let us be clear, Section 15 Possessions are aimed at undermining our safe system of work that we would currently do with a Protection Master and  Booking out with a Track Access Controller

Isn’t Section 15 just another way of adding ad hoc work into engineering hours?

Yes, of course it is. Section 15 fundamentally changes the way we access the track. We book on with a Lead SPC, or his mate or whoever eventually answers the various phone numbers that we are given. It is not a safety critical role and these possessions are being used to cover large track areas for general and unplanned work. These are instead of the Track Access Controllers with a Safe System of Work and therefore not an enhancement to access but a step backwards

It seems like Section 15 was rushed into use without proper consideration or testing.

Section 15 was indeed rushed in. Yes, it went through the same LUL processes that allowed a Rail Grinder to work on  the Northern Line without a proper breaking system. The talks with the RMT were a sham and LUL imposed the procedure half way through them. Any incident within a Section 15 Possession is always declared as ‘not their fault’ and there was many recorded incidents. LUL could not even say whether staff had the correct certification because they failed to audit or control the process. It was not a trial, it was an imposition

Isn’t Section 15 just about increasing efficiency?

Yes, it’s purely about saving money. They save money by ending the tried and tested role of the Track Access Controller. They save money by removing Protection Masters from each gang. YES that will hit you in the pocket, no £10 per shift on LUL and wave goodbye to the £1000 a year on Tube Lines. This is about working to the limit without training and without control.

 

I’ve heard that Section 15 is safer for protection staff accessing the track. Why?

OMG does anyone really believe this is a real question and not a made up one from LUL employment relations team? Removal of the safety critical role of the Protection Master and replacing it with an adhoc and poorly or untrained Lead Site Person in Charge is not progress. The whole problem with Section 15 is that it introduces human error into a safe sytem that was compueterised and well understood. We rely on memory, we rely on someone telling us the train is moving, that we are safe, that we are even there. There has been several slips where people could have died. The truth is, we do not ballot lightly, we are not asking for any gain, we are only asking to come to work, do our jobs and go home ALIVE

 

 

Can the current be recharged after the published time?

YES, if the Service manager makes a mistake, and we all do when we are tired, then the only way to contact you is through a faceless Possession Master with many groups to control.

 

Haven’t there been recent safety incidents with Section 15?

Yes, there has. There has been many. Every incident is either covered up or described as a ‘nothing to do with Section 15’. When LUL have been asked, would this have happened if we had booked out through the track access controllers, we are met with silence

 

What was the cause of the incident in December?

There was a major incident where staff were incorrectly authorised and nearly accessed the track as a train was coming into the section. The confusion came because there was more than one Section 15 Possession and the Lead SPC from the wrong area gave permission to access the track. LUL argued that this was not a near hit because they did not access the track! Again there was no use for this Section 15 Possession and this incident would NEVER have happened if normal Track Access Arrangements had been in place. There have been briefings, very poor ones leaving people none the wiser at the end of them! Why not just properly TRAIN people. LUL say that if you would like more information please contact your manager. We say do that too because most of them do NOT have a clue either because they have not been trained either.

 

If I want more information about Section 15 where can I find it?

LUL have produced a propaganda film so please watch it. It is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElpkR5c3uig and would be funny if it was not such a serious issue.

 

Every journey matters and so does the lives of every track worker

 

UNITY IS LIFE

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Section 15: A Personal View

Many people have been asking what is the dispute all about, below is an extract of an email sent by your Branch Secretary to Heads of Tube Lines and LUL. The email chain regards incidents in possessions and the company view that there is nothing wrong.

The email was sent the day after management refused to suspend section 15 Possessions and then two further possession incidents occurred that very night.

“…….It is interesting times we live in. I am not sure what individual will be blamed for this error or indeed the one for LU Incident – 51703336, but I have little doubt that someone will be held up to not followed a process or instruction correctly. This blame, in my opinion, should not be laid at whatever person is decided to be held accountable, but should be placed fairly and squarely on those on your side of the table that are allowed these processes to continue. I put it to you that a better, more productive and safer culture would be to draw back and examine, along with us, in a systematic manner, the inadequacies that lay before us, that our union believe will end in tragedy. Suspend these processes completely in the name of safety first and sit round a table and talk

However, I am also sure, that whatever you find the reality of the situation that you and your colleagues are facing, is that we are informing you, in as emphatic a way as is possible that you have implemented a process, that has casualised a safe system of work, allowing human error to creep in at every level without correct checks and balances that are necessary for us to be safe at work. We are informing you that inadequate briefings are being carried out that are no mitigation for formal training and are wholly inadequate for staff to know what they should be doing and allowing the knowledge and confidence that others are doing their job properly too.

We all have our stories and mine is no different to many insofar as we have all lost friends and colleagues to accidents that are as avoidable as they are tragic. The common factor is usually not the major element or major failure of process but the build up of small acts and omissions that coincide to form a pathway of inevitable consequence. The decision is yours, the consequence will fall on us

That remains the reason we are in dispute, because people like me have sworn to our members that we will shed tears, toil and sweat on their behalves, but will not stand idly by when we truly believe they are in serious and imminent danger. We will therefore oppose this process, not through political motivation, not for benefit or gain, but through fear that the decisions you make are wrong and that we will pay the price.

Regards Paul J….”

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