RMT Challenges Use of Agency and Security Staff on Wembley Central Stations Group

General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report from our Bakerloo branch with concern.

We do not accept the removal of station staff detrainment jobs as a result of the introduction of ‘inner car barriers’ on trains. We instruct the General Secretary to obtain a detailed report from our representatives on the current position in discussions with the company about this.

We note that the Wembley Central group of stations were transferred from Silverlink to London Underground in 2007, and that the ex-Silverlink stations are the only stations on which London Underground uses agency staff and security guards. Following a dispute in 2008, London Underground agreed that it would stop using agency staff and security guards, and that it expected their use to stop within a maximum of 12 months of the completion of staff training (agency staff) and once refurbishments were completed (security guards). We are appalled that London Underground continues to use agency staff and security guards on these stations, especially when it proposed to scrap LU jobs and displace LU staff.

We instruct the General Secretary to write to London Underground requesting an urgent meeting to discuss this issue, with a view to replacing the use of agency staff and security guards with permanent, directly-employed London Underground jobs.