RMT London Calling

Both London Underground and Tube Lines - and, no doubt, many other companies - will tell us that they "have to" cut jobs because of the economic crisis. But a look at London Underground's history shows that this is not just untrue - it is the opposite of the truth.

London Underground began in 1863, when private companies starting opening lines. By the 1920s, the Underground had expanded into a web of lines beneath London, run by several different private companies.

TUBE UNION RMT today pledged an all out fight over the threat to safety, jobs and working conditions from cuts plans announced by Transport for London and expected attacks being worked up by contractor Tube Lines as they look to slash £1.3 billion from the tube upgrade budget.

RMT's executive passed a motion last night condemning the cynical attempt by TfL to smuggle out their threat to axe 800 jobs in ticket offices and on platforms.

Click '1 attachment' / file name to download the latest issue of 'RMT Up Front', our newsletter produced by and for London Underground drivers.

Read the text below ...

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London Underground has just announced their intention of slashing hundreds of station staff jobs. LU is looking to cut station numbers to the bare minimum at many locations.

How does this affect me as a driver I hear you ask? Well these job cuts and the associated Operational Effectiveness Programme (OEP) represent the biggest changes to the role of driver since the introduction of OPO. When, incidentally, we were promised that there would always be station staff on site to assist should they be required.

Transport for London has today finally admitted its plans for widespread de-staffing of London Underground stations, with the loss of 700-800 jobs. Today's press release, which you can read below, follows months of warnings from RMT about the company's intentions, and several leaks - which at the time, the company dismissed as 'scaremongering'.

TfL claims that its plans will create a 'safe, efficient and transformed Tube'. However:

• The Tube will not be 'safe' with hundreds fewer staff - it will leave passengers (and the remaining staff) vulnerable to accidents and assaults in understaffed stations, and unable to cope properly with serious, even life-threatening, incidents.
• The Tube will not be 'efficient', as without enough staff, it will not be able to provide the reliable and comfortable services that passengers want.
• The Tube will be 'transformed', but not in a good way! Rather, it will be 'transformed' into a barely-staffed system in which services become unreliable and passengers find it hard to find the help they need.

RMT is determined to fight these job cuts, as we know that they are potentially disastrous for station staff, for other grades of Underground and TfL staff, and for passengers. Everyone is welcome to be part of our campaign.

Make sure you regularly check our special 'SOS - Staff Our Stations' webpage for updates on developments and campaigning.

Venue: Exmouth Arms, Starcross Street, Euston.

This meeting will be the Annual General Meeting of the Cleaning Grades Committee. The meeting will elect the cleaning grades officers for 2010.

It is essential that all cleaners who are RMT members attend if possible.

Further meetings will be held on the second Thursday of each month

RMT Regional Organiser Steve Hedley will be in attendance to hear your issues.
Also invited: Alex Gordon, RMT National President.

TUBE UNION RMT today demanded that London Mayor Boris Johnson take “urgent and decisive” action to terminate the Tube Lines contract on London Underground as it emerged that LU are calling in forensic accountants to “examine massive and secretive payments to Tube Lines’ shareholders” and after the company were branded as “ailing and failing” by TfL.

LU Engineering branch submits the following resolution to the March meeting of the Regional Council.

We hear reports month after month of the increases in the cost of Travel; but we were always protected from these increases by Staff Passes and the PTAC.

Since the PPP and the privatising of the National Railway we have expected attacks to get rid or erode these privileges that we have acquired through united struggles led by our Unions.

Bob Crow writes ...

Dear Colleague,

Support John McDonnell MP, Convenor RMT Parliamentary Group

I would like to encourage all RMT activists in the Greater London area to join the mass canvass for John McDonnell MP, Convenor of the RMT Parliamentary Group on Sunday March 14 from 10:30 to 13:00 in his Hayes and Harlington constituency.

Over the years he has been the leading RMT voice in Parliament, John has shown himself to be a tireless campaigner and friend of this Union: this is a chance for RMT members to help a hard-working socialist in his constituency, who is under pressure from the Tory challenger.

I have been elected as the Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Officer for the London Transport Region at the recent Regional Council Meeting.

Anybody who has suggestions of the sort of things we can be doing in the London Transport Region, or wants to be involved please contact me via email here or leave a comment below.

Tenants of affordable keyworker housing owned by the Crown Estate are opposed to the sell off of their homes to a new landlord. The estates comprise some 1300 homes in central London.

Sign the online petition calling on Gordon Brown to intervene to stop this sell off:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/crownresidents/

Click '1 attachment' / file name to download this newsletter. Read the text below.

The final meeting of the Operational Managers Review took place to further discuss the Grade Progression. At the end of the meeting TSSA and BTOG decided they would offer it up to their members with a recommendation of acceptance (ASLEF were not represented at this important meeting). The RMT rejected it and intend to do so at the next Company Council Feb 17th.

The new issue of our RMT London Calling newsletter highlights the threats to jobs across London's transport. It also includes articles on the Haiti earthquake, TubeLines/PPP crisis, signals dispute, sacked Bakerloo drivers, and more.

Click '1 attachment' / file name to download it. Please distribute it widely.