Strike Ballot Prepared On Piccadilly Line Over Range of Issues

The following resolution was submitted by Piccadilly and District West Branch which has now been considered by the GGC.

“This Branch is appalled at the sacking of [driver member]. The CDI panel made its judgement on [driver member] answering his phone while in control of train 251. This blatant misrepresentation of the facts; where even the main evidence against him from the trainer stated “he did not answer his phone till he was in the saloon”. We further note the deterioration of industrial relations on the Piccadilly Line with management acting with impunity over attendance/rainbow issues and failing to abide by these policies. Further we are aware that Train Operator Paul Davies from Arnos Grove is stood down for an issue involving a miscommunication where a signal operator involved has been given a corrective action plan whilst the train operator faces a company disciplinary. This Branch calls on the C of E to conduct a ballot of all Train Operators at Acton and Northfields train depots and after further discussions to extend this across the Piccadilly Line.”

The GGC has considered this matter and has noted the resolutions passed by both Finsbury Park and Piccadilly and District West branches on this issue. Following a meeting held between the C of E member for the region and officials of both branches and representatives in the area, the following issues were identified as being unsatisfactory and unresolved:

  • Breaches of agreed SPAD management processes with members being unnecessarily redeployed to stations grades despite agreements that different outcomes are possible. Further it was noted that there were identified issues of weak brakes on certain units of rolling stock on the line not being taken into account along with training for new drivers being cut from 20 weeks to 14 weeks with a consequent impact on SPAD and other safety incidents.
  • Breaches of LUL's attendance management policies with the application of an arbitrary capability/rainbow attendance management scheme that is not incorporated into any of LUL's policies and not written down. This is leading to our members who are fit and at work being called into meetings where they are threatened with attendance improvement targets which if not reached may end in their termination of employment with LUL. Also agreed attendance processes are being flouted and abused with machinery meetings being refused to address them.
  • Breaches of LUL's Discipline at Work policy with items of performance being pursued to CDI and LDI outside of agreed processes and the continued dismissal of [driver member] being upheld despite appeal. This is a punitive application of this policy amounting to bullying and intimidation of our members and is not acceptable. The reinstatement of [driver member] is central to the resolution of this dispute.
  • Unresolved and unsatisfactory progress being achieved in the machinery of negotiation regarding the opening of Cockfosters depot with many issues being unresolved including the provision of adequate parking spaces for our members and other issues. The above issues are core but not exhaustive grievances of our members on the line.

We will therefore be declaring ourselves in dispute with London Underground on these matters and begin preparing a matrix for our Train Operators and Instructor operators members on the Piccadilly line for a ballot for strike and action short of strike action. Reasonable assistance will also be given to the branches in prosecuting this dispute, including publicity and reasonable loss of earnings for activists to campaign on these issues on the line and deliver a strong yes vote. ...........