Defending jobs

We note the report from our lead officer.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, and the feedback from our branches. We endorse his view that an important principle is at stake and that London Underground members can be convinced to take a stand on this issue.

London Underground's continuing use and abuse of agency staff is seriously detrimental to LUL employees, as it undermines their opportunities to obtain and retain work and creates disruption in the workplace. We therefore declare a trade dispute with London Underground Ltd, demanding that it cease the use of agencies and offer permanent, direct employment to agency workers, including those formerly supplied by Trainpeople.

A demonstration is being held to fight to stop the staff cuts at The London Transport Museum.

Whilst the museum holds an event - "Brightest London" it is dark days for the staff; as the face the threat of unemployment!

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that electricians and engineers working for contractors Mitie on the TFL contract are to be balloted for strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over redundancies and unilateral changes to working conditions.

We note the interim statement from the Law Commission on its consideration of taxi and private hire
legislation.

We welcome the indication that the Commission will recommend retaining the distinction between taxis and
private hire vehicles (PHVs). We are concerned, however, that the replacement of the concept of ‘plying for hire’ with the concept of ‘pre-booking’ may dilute this distinction and allow private hire vehicles to encroach on taxi drivers’ work. (paragraph 5)

We note the report from our lead officer.

We deplore the stated intention of the employer to refuse to:

• allow transferring staff to join the TfL Pension Scheme;
• uphold the settlement of the 2001 PPP dispute which includes ‘no compulsory redundancies’ and explicitly applies to all employees and all future employers; and
• recognise RMT in departments into which our members are transferring

In accordance with the request of our lead officer, we instruct the General Secretary to obtain legal advice on these matters, to uphold the rights of our members.

The 'Justice For The 33' campaign went to London Underground head office - 55 Broadway - today. RMT's London Transport Region have long been campaigning for tube bosses to employ the thirty-three agency workers who lost their jobs on the tube. They were employed by Trainpeople agency for five years working as station assistants, but when Trainpeople's contract was ended early, they were sacked.

TUBE UNION RMT said today that staff sacked from London Underground’s “Trainpeople” agency contract will be stepping up their fight for jobs and justice following the termination of the deal which has dumped 33 staff on the dole, making a mockery of regulations which were supposed to protect the employment rights of agency staff.

The staff will be taking their fight to Transport for London with a protest in support of “Justice for the 33”at the HQ building Windsor House, Victoria Street on Monday 15th April 2013 between 0800 hours and 1000 hours.

RAIL UNION RMT confirmed today that a ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike has opened on London Midland over the victimisation of a Revenue Protection Officer sacked by the company for resisting a physical and verbal assault by a known troublemaker.

Jobs ‘at risk’ in UK railway industry resulting from government proposals for rail reform

Introduction

In our briefing on the government’s Rail Command Paper, rail unions involved in the Action for Rail campaign indicated that over 20,000 jobs in the UK rail industry were ‘at risk’ as a result of the recommendations in the McNulty Review that Network Rail and Train Operating Companies were being asked to implement.

By extrapolating from the McNulty Review, our briefing indicated the total numbers of jobs at risk broke down as follows: