Defending and improving conditions

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that tube drivers on the Jubilee Line, working out of the Stratford and Greenwich depots, are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute over bullying of staff through the misuse of procedures and an appalling decline in the standard of working conditions.

In a letter to London Underground setting out the reasons for the dispute, RMT has highlighted:

• The unfair and disproportionate treatment of Drivers in disciplinaries
• Many facilities on the Jubilee line being in a very poor and in some cases a “disgusting” state
  

We note the report of the well-attended meeting of our London Underground / Tube Lines ISS representatives on 20 February 2013.

The meeting identified several attacks on working conditions in addition to pay issues:

• ‘Bradford Factor’ attendance rules
• new rostering, extending the unpaid break in the middle of the shift from 30 minutes to 45, 60 or even 75 minutes
• biometric booking on, including for agency staff

CHANGES TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE REDUNDANCIES – MITIE (TFL CONTRACT) (LUL/14/2)

“We note the report from the Assistant General Secretary and are appalled that fraud was committed in the compilation of the business case and that this employer intends to go ahead with redundancies anyway.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to:-

• Seek press coverage of this situation
• Seek urgent legal advice on our options for putting a stop to these redundancies going ahead
  

We note the resolution from our Jubilee South branch, and the numerous problems being caused by management at North Greenwich and Stratford depots. Following thorough discussion with our representatives and in line with their expressed views, we instruct the General Secretary to ballot our train driver members at Stratford and North Greenwich depots for strike action, to a timescale that will enable co-ordinated action with ASLEF. A personal letter is to be sent to all members being balloted, strongly urging them to vote Yes.

Further to our previous decision Gww 12 February 2012, we instruct the General Secretary to pursue replies to our correspondence to the other trade unions and to our own TfL no.1 branch, and to place responses in front of us; and to obtain an up-to-date report on the pursuit of this issue with the employer.

This issue is to be placed in front of us in the event of any developments, and in any case within 14 days.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser and the documentation on file.

We instruct the General Secretary to ensure that RMT is represented at all future meetings on this issue and to place minutes and reports on file.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser and the minutes on file.

We instruct the General Secretary to ensure that this union continues to seek updated information from TfL on this process, ensuring full disclosure of information to which we are entitled, and to challenge any resulting attacks on or holding back of our members’ terms and conditions.

Any developments are to be placed in front of us.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO to be part of our campaign to defend and improve jobs:

Join RMT

• get a membership form from your RMT rep
• phone 0800-376-3706 or 020-7387-4771
• go to www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/join

If you are already a member of RMT, get active and involved:

• talk to your RMT rep
• make sure that RMT has your up-to-date details (address, grade, location, etc)
• make sure that RMT has your email address and mobile number so the union can contact you quickly and easily
• persuade a workmate to join
• get involved in your RMT branch
  

We note the response from TfL, which falls short of our members’ justified aspiration for free travel on these services. We instruct the General Secretary to ensure that this matter is tabled for discussion with the employer(s), and to seek a joint approach with the other unions.

We also note the report on our efforts to organise the workforce on the Emirates Air Line. We instruct the General Secretary to provide full support and resources for these efforts, and to place regular progress reports in front of us.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd regarding TfL market testing. While this offers some reassurance that this is simply a ‘benchmarking activity’ and that no decision has been made to privatise the functions involved, we are well aware that ‘market testing’ is used to keep down pay, conditions and staffing in the public sector body as much as it is used to prepare for privatisation.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to ensure that this issue continues to be raised with TfL and developments monitored and placed in front of us.