LUL Trains, Health & safety

We note the correspondence from ASLEF. We instruct the General Secretary to reply, advising ASLEF that RMT is campaigning against the introduction of Automatic Door Opening on the Victoria Line and urging ASLEF to join us in this campaign. Any further correspondence from ASLEF, and reports of local contact with ASLEF on this matter, is to be placed in front of us.

TUBE UNION RMT today demanded an independent investigation into London Underground maintenance and staffing cuts after photographic evidence emerged suggesting that the train that hit the buckled lining on the Bakerloo Line in Thursday mornings rush hour came within inches of being ripped open like a sardine can with potentially lethal consequences.

A major incident on the Bakerloo Line last week a shut don for several hours. A defect of the tunnel wall was struck by the first trains of the morning. Once the cause was established a large section of the line was closed.

On the same day Tube Lines were on strike for equal pensions with colleagues at Lodon Underground.

Attached is LUL's 'Refusal To Work On The Grounds Of Health And Safety' Document

You may find it useful to read, should you be concerned about carrying out a job or particular task, and want to know the procedure for refusing to work on safety grounds.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow has written to LUL Director of Safety Mike Strzelecki about RMT safety concerns

From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

Members of the RMT employed at Tube Lines are due to take part in strike action, the period of the strike will be from 16.00 hours on 24th April until 16.00 hours on 27th April.

Should you, as an individual, feel that as part of your duties you are placing yourself in serious or imminent danger during the dispute you should comply with your company’s policy as required by the MHSW.

Attached to this circular is a pro-forma should you wish to record your concerns in writing to your management.

TUBE UNION RMT today wrote to TFL chiefs demanding safety assurances during the Tube Lines strike action next week after bosses issued statements saying that they will continue to try and run services regardless of whether essential maintenance and repairs work is being carried out and regardless of the fact that the safety-critical Emergency Response Unit will be joining the strike action.

We note the request from our Finsbury Park branch, suggesting a joint campaign with ASLEF against the introduction of Automatic Door Opening on the Victoria Line, believing this to be a major component of London Underground’s preparation for the introduction of ‘driverless trains’. We accordingly instruct the General Secretary to contact ASLEF seeking a joint campaign on this issue.

We also encourage our Finsbury Park branch and trains representatives to pursue this with ASLEF at a company and local level.

Last weekend on the Jubilee Line a drivers quick actions saved the life of a young child. Just as the driver was about to leave the platform at Finchley Road, he spotted a small hand coming up from the track on his CCTV and realised that someone had fallen from the platform.

Had it been a driverless train, then it would have departed as all the sytems indications were that it was safe to do so, and this story of heroism would be one of tragedy.

On Saturday night the predicted heavy snow brought much of the tube to a halt. Efforts were made to keep the service running and get passengers safely home by staff working that evening. However was the inevitable - trains being stuck in snow between stations - ignored until it was too late?

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.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the report from our Regional Organiser on his discussions with London Underground management prior to the result of our ballot for industrial action.

We instruct the General Secretary to obtain a report on the progress of this dispute.

London Transport Regional Council and branches with London Underground members to be advised.

LONDON UNDERGROUND intends to halve the frequency of maintenance on trains on the Metropolitan Line despite a manufacturer’s report which reveals that the safety implications of doing so have not been considered, the Tube’s biggest union reveals today.

Please Find Attached 'The Neasden Flyer' giving instructions of the recent work to rule

Inside this issue
Reversing a train blind No!
Platform Category A or B?
Passengers over shunt signals No!
Sensitive Edge Visual Overide No!

RMT TUBE drivers are to refuse to follow what the union considers to be dangerous new instructions from London Underground after voting by a margin of four to one for industrial action over train safety.

from RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

I write to advise you that following the magnificent 80% vote in favour of action, the General Grades Committee has decided to call the below action short of a strike in the above dispute.

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.

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed this morning that tube driver members have voted overwhelmingly by a margin of four to one for action short of a strike in a dispute over safety.

The ballot was over four particular aspects of London Undergrounds Operational Effectiveness Programme which RMT says are unacceptable and potentially dangerous.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the result of our ballot of our London Underground train driver members is as follows:-