Night Tube Local Consultation Letter 'A Hostile Act'
  • Tube bosses letter signalling an attempt to bypass negotiation initially considered a hoax as it was such a provocative act.
  • RMT seeks common ground with ASLEF in Night Tube negotiations
  • Local reps 'instructed not to co-operate whatsoever in local roster consultation until further notice'

Dear Colleagues

NIGHT TUBE CONSULTATION

Please be advised that the Trains Functional Council Staff-Side Chair has received a letter from the Bakerloo Line General Manager, Lance Ramsey, who is the LUL conduit for the Night Tube consultations.

In this letter, Train Staff Representatives are being advised that Night Tube consultation is now to be rolled out locally with a view to implementing revised rosters for the introduction of Night Tube services on 12th September 2015.

I simply cannot believe let alone understand why this letter has been issued and my initial thoughts were that it must be some kind of hoax. Surely LUL must realise that, despite our best efforts to avoid a dispute, this is a provocative act. Negotiations over this year’s pay claim are already fraught and have not been helped with them throwing in the Night Tube issue. Now they have gone a step further.

"I simply cannot believe let alone understand why this letter has been issued and my initial thoughts were that it must be some kind of hoax."

We had made it quite clear to them that their current offer of a one-off payment for the introduction of life altering working arrangements is woeful and that the same goes for their pay offer. In response we have been invited to “consultation workshops” under the auspices of ACAS where management can explain themselves. Although we object to this preferring proper negotiation with sensible proposals from the company, it at least represented some kind of attempt at dialogue at senior management level.

But the truth is that however they wish to dress it up, management’s real intention is to push through the changes they want. Despite claiming to be “..in accordance with the terms of our existing collective agreements,” the Bakerloo Line General Manager’s letter is in fact a breach of the negotiating machinery and a hostile act.

Representatives are therefore instructed not to co-operate whatsoever in local roster consultation until further notice. Should managers attempt to approach you on this then refer them to me.

For our part we will continue to insist that Night Tube continues to be dealt with at the level of the negotiating machinery that it should be. We will also be seeking common grounds with ASLEF in dealing with this matter.

In the meantime Representatives should now be fully aware of our position and what is now expected of them. I attach a copy of the Bakerloo Line General Manager’s letter for you to see for yourselves.

With best wishes.

Yours sincerely

John Leach
REGIONAL ORGANISER

Night Tube Letter