Opposing victimisation

The RMT train grades committee has produced the latest edtion of RMT up front focussing on the union's campaign to reinstate Arwyn Thomas. Main stories follow:

UNITE FOR ARWYN THOMAS

Once again, London Underground management have proved that they do not deserve our faith or trust. Following a bold programme of industrial action which shook the establishment and kept the copywriters at the Evening Substandard busy for days and caused politicians and commentators to bay for Boris’ blood, an agreement was reached which allowed us to suspend previous action.

Dear colleagues

I am writing to you as your Regional Organiser to appeal to you to get behind the union's decision to strike for the reinstatement of train driver Arwyn Thomas

Arwyn Thomas is a driver at Morden depot who has been victimised for being a very effective trade union representative. Arwyn is a 30-year member of the RMT and during this time has played a key role in organising the union and representing members at all levels including as local representative, branch secretary and executive member of the RMT London Transport Regional Council. Arwyn has had an exemplary record with his employer LUL and has never had any previous disciplinary in his 30 years of service. There is not so much as a local disciplinary for attendance or lateness on his record.

Please take one minute to click this link and send an email to Boris Johnson and TfL (even if you clicked the one I asked you to last month; this is new). Then please circulate this link to your friends.
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c...

There has been extensive media coverage today of RMT's call for new strikes to demand the reinstatement of Arwyn Thomas. Please click on the links below. Many of these have comments facilities and discussion forums, so please post your support for our campaign!

• Evening Standard
• BBC website
  

TUBE UNION RMT today announced strike dates involving all train driver members in the on-going dispute over the victimisation of union activist Arwyn Thomas over his trade union activities and the associated continuing harassment and victimisation of union reps throughout London Underground.

Despite strenuous efforts by RMT, LU have refused to reach an agreement that would reinstate Arwyn Thomas despite his successful appeal for “interim relief” for unfair dismissal at the Employment Tribunal on the grounds of his trade union activities.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That following London Underground’s refusal to even discuss re-employing Arwyn Thomas and the GGC’s decision of 23rd May 2011, we call strike action as follows: -

All London Underground Train Driver Members are further instructed not to book on for any duty that commences: -

• Between 21.01 hours on Sunday 19th June 2011 and 03.00 hours on Monday 20th June 2011.

LONDON UNDERGROUND has thrown at least £250,000 down the tube trying to defend its indefensible victimisation of train operator Arwyn Thomas, RMT has estimated.

Six-figure legal fees, management time spent preparing for and attending six days of tribunals, including senior managers on £600-plus a day, on top of Arwyn’s salary – paid on the orders of an interim hearing in January – add up at least to the cost of employing 20 modern apprentices for a year, the union says.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today:

That we refer this matter back to our Southern Sub Committee for further examination and report and direct the Southern Sub Committee to trigger action in order to maintain the ballot for industrial action mandate and also positively explore the possibility of laying down industrial action on 30 June 2011 that runs in parallel with the day of action being planned by some other public sector Unions – this decision to support the clearly stated intention of this Union to attempt to co-ordinate industrial action for the maximum effect.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we are appalled that following the agreement we reached with London Underground last week, LU has instructed its lawyers not to discuss re-employing Arwyn Thomas, and instead to discuss only a financial settlement.

This is despite an Employment Tribunal having awarded Arwyn interim relief, finding that he was unfairly dismissed due to his trade union activities and asking LU to reinstate him. The only way to put right the injustice of Arwyn's dismissal is to reverse it, by Arwyn returning to work as a London Underground driver.

The following Resolution submitted by Stratford No 1 was carried unanimously at the Regional Council meeting on 28th July