LUL Asset Performance Directorate, Tube Lines, Alstom, LU Engineering branch, LU Fleet branch

Attached to this post, you will find London Underground's letter to RMT setting out the company's offer to staff for Olympic working, consisting of:

• a letter from LU
• a document giving its 'flexibility' demands
• and an appendix for each of the four functions affected
  • Asset Performance Directorate
  • Stations and Revenue Control
  • Service Control including Duty Reliability Managers
  • Operational Managers in COO and APD, including Network Operational Learning Trainers

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the offer from London Underground, of an additional £350 lump sum payment to all operational staff in each of the following functions, dependant on the trade unions agreeing to changes in working practices detailed in the correspondence:

• Asset Performance Directorate
• Stations and Revenue Control
• Service Control including Duty Reliability Managers
• Operational Managers in COO and APD, including Network Operational Learning Trainers

RMT members at Tube Lines, including ex-Alstom Stratford Market depot staff, are to be balloted for industrial action to back the union’s demand for equal pension and travel-pass rights.

The union is demanding that all Tube Lines staff, including ex-Alstom staff at Stratford Market depot, be allowed to join the TfL Pension Scheme and receive the same travel concessions as those who work for LUL, including former Metronet staff.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report from our lead officer, that Tube Lines cancelled the Company Council meeting due to take place today, apparently on the request of London Underground Ltd. We suggest to LUL that if it wishes to run Tube Lines, then it acquire Tube Lines and fully integrate it.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from London Underground and the feedback from our branch secretary, which can be found on file.

We note that Sister Darby has requested a personal meeting with the Employee Relations Director of London Underground about this issue, and instruct the General Secretary to obtain a report on this meeting, following which we will consider options for representation in negotiations on this issue.

We further instruct the General Secretary to pursue the other parts of our previous decision of 24 January.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report from our lead officer and reject Tube Lines’ offer on the following grounds:

1. The company’s proposals would leave some of our members with no annual leave during the summer school holidays, resulting in many children not having a family summer holiday this year.
2. The company’s offer applies only to operational staff, excluding other staff who will also be affected by the Olympics, and the company threatens to halve the financial offer should it apply to all staff.
   

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that following objections from our representatives, Emcor Rail withdrew its plan to introduce fingerprinting, and ceased using vehicle trackers to inappropriately monitor staff. We welcome this outcome, and congratulate our representatives and branch. We instruct the General Secretary to make this information available to all lead officers, as we are aware that other employers attempt to introduce these unacceptable practices.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from Tube Lines, that it will grant staff an additional bank holiday in 2012 due to the Diamond Jubilee. We note that this is the same practice as adopted for the additional bank holiday in 2011.

London Transport Regional Council, LU Fleet and LU Engineering branches to be advised.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that the meeting referred to in our decision of 6 October 2011 has yet to take place, due to the representatives not having been available. We instruct the General Secretary to write to Stratford no.1 branch advising that unless the representatives make themselves available soon, we will be unable to progress this matter; and to invite LU Engineering branch to send an appropriate representative to this meeting. A report of the meeting is to be placed in front of us once it has taken place.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the detailed resolution from our LU Fleet branch concerning the situation in Tube Lines DSM (Distribution Services). We note that our branch has itemised specific incidents and events which it believes have led to an intolerable situation in the workplace, and requests a ballot for strike action and action short of strike.

We instruct the General Secretary to:

1. contact the employer immediately advising that we are in dispute and requesting an urgent meeting
2. prepare a matrix for the industrial action ballot requested