Defending jobs

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that London Underground intends to count partially-trained Incident Customer Service Assistants towards minimum staffing numbers on stations, despite the fact that these ICSAs are not fully trained and qualified in the Customer Service Assistant (CSA) role, and are in fact not station staff at all, but staff in other (mainly administration) grades given a brief training course to carry out additional duties on stations.

Ballyshannon by Albert Bridge

We are holding an urgent meeting for all service control staff affected by Hammersmith SCC on Tuesday, 31st January from 12.00 until 16.00

The meeting will be held at Conference Room 1, RMT Headquarters, Unity House, 39 Chalton Street, NW1 1JD. The closest tubes are Euston and Kings Cross. (Map.)

RAIL UNION RMT warned today that the tendering for the new Greater Western franchise, now underway and due to operate from April 2013, is being conducted under the terms of the Sir Roy McNulty Rail Review before the Government have even taken it through the parliamentary process, with dire consequences for both jobs and passenger services.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: “It is an insult to democracy that the Greater Western franchise is being tendered on the basis of a half-baked and totally bogus set of ideas advanced by McNulty before they have even been endorsed by the country’s law makers."

The RMT have published a video explaining why the RMT is the best union for London Underground train drivers.

"From the minute I book on, the tracks that I run over, the trains that I drive, the signals that I work under, even so far as the food that I eat: If I know that those people are part of a strong union, I know that their welfare is being looked after as well as mine. If their welfare is looked after I can rest assured that they are working in a safe environment and their going to provide a professional service" - RMT Train Operator, Picaddilly Line.

RAIL UNION RMT warned today that the Government could be preparing an action replay of the Thameslink stitch-up of Bombardier over the Crossrail contract as it emerged that Transport Secretary Justine Greening has sabotaged a plan that would have potentially saved train building in the nation that gave the railways to the world.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: “Despite the long public row over the Thameslink stitch- up, and the threat to over 10,000 jobs at Bombardier in Derby and in the supply chain, reports today suggest that the Government are planning an action replay over Crossrail in a move that would kill UK train building once and for all.

Having received information that the ‘Together for Transport’ Campaign is holding a public meeting in Hackney on Monday 12th December 2011, RMT's General Grades Committee took the following decision:

That we note that a special meeting is being organised in Hackney to oppose cuts to ticket offices and ticket office staff at local stations on the North London line. We welcome this community initiative and we instruct the General Secretary to advertise this meeting widely amongst our Branches and activists in London via SMS text and by e-mail.

The Vulnerable workers Conference is held on Thursday 8th December at TUC Congress House.

Speakers will include Alan Pottage: ( Head of the Education & Organising Unit), John McDonnell MP: (Chair of RMT Parliamentary Group), Pat Sikorski: RMT Assistant General Secretary and others.

Read on to see the agenda.

TUBE UNION RMT has today written to London Mayor Boris Johnson after it emerged that tube cleaning contractors Initial are planning to sack staff in order to fund the costs of paying their workers the London Living Wage.

In their “Business Case” document, Initial say that as a cost saving measure brought on by “the recent increase in London Living Wage from £7.85 to £8.30” Initial are proposing to axe cleaners jobs to bridge the gap.

RMT's Council of Executives has agreed to submit this resolution to TUC Women's Conference 2012:

That this Conference is concerned that Government proposals for the main line railway and the actions of London Underground in slashing staff numbers will worsen passenger services through the loss of thousands of frontline workers from trains, stations, ticket offices and safety-critical infrastructure and operational roles.

Everything management do now is preparation to take us on, all of us, each grade, after the Olympics. Make no mistake, no stone will be left unturned as LUL aim to transform the job root and branch. As a previous leaked document revealed, they're making no bones about using the economic crisis to launch the attack.

This political report will explain the attacks, grade by grade, over five special issues, each fortnight.

Everything management do now is preparation to take us on, all of us, each grade, after the Olympics. Make no mistake, no stone will be left unturned as LUL aim to transform the job root and branch. As a previous leaked document revealed, they're making no bones about using the economic crisis to launch the attack.

This political report will explain the attacks, grade by grade, over five special issues, each fortnight.

Everything management do now is preparation to take us on, all of us, each grade, after the Olympics. Make no mistake, no stone will be left unturned as LUL aim to transform the job root and branch. As a previous leaked document revealed, they're making no bones about using the economic crisis to launch the attack.

This political report will explain the attacks, grade by grade, over five special issues, each fortnight.

London taxi driver members of specialist transport union RMT will be holding a day of protest next Wednesday (9 November) over attacks on the licensed taxi trade.

Kicking off the action, RMT London Taxi Branch will be holding a demonstration outside the headquarters of TFL Windsor house Victoria Street SW1 between 2-4pm on Wed 9 November to highlight complaints over the poor treatment, bad policies and contempt that the Taxi/private hire office have shown towards the RMT taxi branch and the trade in general.

The TfL board will discuss the 'Operational Vision' tomorrow November 2nd 2011, which predicts trains without drivers and the closure of all ticket offices by 2016.

LUL's Managing Director Mike Brown's presentation to the Board is attached.

Brown says "Given the technology available now, it is very unlikely that, after the procurement of the trains for the Sub Surface Lines, LU will ever again buy a fleet of passenger trains with conventional drivers’ cabs."

The TfL board will discuss the 'Operational Vision' this week, which predicts trains without drivers and the closure of all ticket offices by 2016.

A document has been released detailing the agenda of the meeting. It says "Given the technology available now, it is very unlikely that, after the procurement of the trains for the Sub Surface Lines, LU will ever again buy a fleet of passenger trains with conventional drivers’ cabs."

The document also makes note of stations saying that ticket office need will decrease and staff will need to become more 'flexible.'

LUL Declares War

Make no mistake, the Confidential Report exposed by RMT is the result of months, if not years, of management preparations to transform our job, root and branch, and bust the trade unions along with it.

The results will be massive job losses across all grades.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said “This document tells us everything we need to know about the operational strategy of London Underground - massive increase in fares alongside an unprecedented attack on jobs and safety. “Every single ticket office would be closed, stations left unstaffed and drivers would be thrown out of their cabs without a single thought for passenger safety.

TUBE UNION RMT today released a confidential “Operational Strategy” paper from London Underground which the union says is “a blueprint for jobs and safety carnage.”

Click on the attachments to see RMT' London Calling and LU's confidential 'Operational Strategy' paper.