RMT rejects ASLEF/LU guidance document for duty allocation during the Olympics

At a meeting of the Trains Functional Council today (4/4/12) the RMT rejected the proposed ASLEF/LU "guidelines" for allocatating duties during the Olympics.

The RMT members present made the following statement to the Council:

"The RMT has sought and continues to seek an agreement which provides a successful tube system during the 2012 Olympics where our members are properly rewarded for the extra workload involved.

The RMT’s position is that we are not prepared to break framework agreements and driving parameters.

There is no agreement between London Underground and the RMT for train drivers during this period.

The RMT will not allow management to impose changes to our drivers terms and conditions using the unfair and inbuilt majority on the staff side of this Council by members of our sister organisation ASLEF

The RMT staff side on this Trains Functional Council therefore cannot agree to this Olympics Guidance document and we fail to agree this to the next level."

ASLEF members of the Council demanded that RMT reps should not be released to attend the forthcoming "Roadshows" where management are visiting depots to give updates on the Olympics.

London Underground stated that they "recognise the trains functional council, but they don't recognise individual trade unions" and refused to allow the RMT reps to refer the matter to the next level.

RMT TFC reps stated that the guidance document totally changed the arrangements for drivers to change duties etc and restricted the normal rights and arrangements of the level 1 reps to allocate duties.

Further, the RMT reps stated that as an independant trade union on the Council they had every right to maintain an independent position with the consequential ability to agree and fail to agree items as a trade union. These matters will be raised with the General Secretary of the RMT.

The ASLEF/LU guidance document is attached.