'RMT London Calling', January 2011: Release These Hostages!

The new issue of our 'RMT London Calling' newsletter explains that London Underground's victimisation of Eamonn Lynch, Arwyn Thomas and Peter Hartshorn is an act of hostage-taking against the union.

It also reports on the strike on Docklands Light Railway later this week, and reports in details on the up-to-date siutation with our fight against London Underground job cuts.

Click the file name at the bottom to download it. Read the main article below.

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RELEASE THESE HOSTAGES!

London Underground workmates have taken further strike action to demand the reinstatement of Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas, and are on standby to ballot for strikes should LU also sack Peter Hartshorn. On Saturday 15 January, drivers on the Bakerloo line and at the Northern line’s Morden depot were on strike in support of Eamonn and Arwyn respectively.

LU sacked Eamonn for following an instruction! An Employment Tribunal has already stated that the sacking was due to Eamonn’s activities as RMT health and safety rep for Bakerloo drivers. Discriminating against a union rep in this way is unlawful, but the Tribunal does not have the power to force LU to reinstate Eamonn. The company sacked Arwyn following accusations by strikebreakers about an alleged incident during one of our strikes against job cuts. Arwyn has been an active RMT member for nearly 30 years, and has been a rep and a branch secretary.

Peter, RMT rep for the Green Park stations group, has been stood down since October, and is now awaiting the result of his CDI, where he faced accusations of swearing at a manager, despite nearby witnesses stating that they did not hear him say what he is accused of saying.

It is clear to their workmates, and to RMT, that London Underground is victimising Eamonn, Arwyn and Peter because of their involvement in our union - because they stand up for their workmates and challenge management. The company has taken them as hostages in our long-running battle against attacks on jobs.

Management know that if they can ‘take out’ union reps and activists, we are all weaker. Equally, we know that if we defend our reps and activists, we will be stronger and better placed to resist management’s attacks.

Stop victimisation of RMT reps and activists - defend Eamonn, Arwyn and Peter!