Industrial action

An important message from RMT to London Underground passengers.

During the Olympics London Underground has been counting volunteers among the number of safety-trained staff needed legally to keep Tube stations open, putting everyone concerned at risk. See overleaf to see how YOU can help us to stop this abuse.

During the Olympics, London Underground has been using volunteers to help out with the additional crowds using the Tube.

LOW-PAID CLEANERS on the prestigious East Coast mainline working for ISS are to strike for 24 hours on September 10 after voting by a huge 98 per cent margin for action against an employer that has offered no pay rise for three years.

They will be joined on strike by cleaners working for the same scrooge sub-contractor on London Midland, where a 24-hour stoppage has already been held at depots in Bletchley, Northampton and King’s Heath.

In both disputes ISS has failed to respond to calls for a living wage for workers who play a key role in maintaining rail services.

As part of the Operational Effectiveness programme LUL have introduced a number of changes to Rules. These changes were discussed through the machinery until finally being exhausted at Safety Forum level. LUL chose to push through the majority of these changes.

These Rules were introduced as OSN101 in September 2011 in a booklet titled ‘Getting ready for the Olympics’. Among these changes was an instruction which allows for a Train Operator to set their train back by one car or less after a platform overrun or in the event of a SPAD.

As part of the Operational Effectiveness programme LUL introduced a number of changes to Rules. These changes were discussed through the machinery until finally being exhausted at Safety Forum level. LUL chose to push through the majority of these changes.

These Rules were introduced as OSN101 in September 2011 in a booklet titled ‘Getting ready for the Olympics’. One of these is a change to Rulebook 8 Section 2.1 which determines how a platform is given an ‘A’ Category.

“That we note the report from the General Secretary and accordingly instruct the General Secretary to call on our Senior Technicians, Electricians, Team Leaders and Work Controller members within the Power and Electrical Department APD Stations Group , London Underground Ltd to take action short of strike action by not working any overtime from 06.00 hrs on Friday 7th September until 23.59 Sunday 9th September 2012. A Personal Letter to be sent to all members informing them of our decision. LU Engineering Branch to be advised. “

Leaflets have been created to give advice to London Underground drivers on what actions to take when Incident Customer Service Assistants (ICSAs) are working on platforms carrying out SATs.

RMT believes that ICSAs are not adequately trained to carry out this safety related role. Their deployment on the paid side of stations also breaches a casualisation agreement reached between the RMT and LUL in 2008.

You can download the leaflet below. Local Reps should also have copies to distribute. For more information speak with a local rep or get in touch with us.

Industrial action changed - London Underground’s breaches of casualisation dispute settlement

Further to my previous correspondence with regards our Casualisation dispute, your General Grades Committee has reviewed the situation and decided to amend the industrial action. The below action is now CANCELLED:-

Train Operators will not stop at stations which do not have the minimum number of station staff on duty.

We note the views expressed by our LT region train grades committee, the need to keep our disputes and industrial action continuously under review, and our members’ need for advice and information.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to ensure the speedy and effective implementation of our previous decision of 17 July 2012 to ensure that members are given full support and information in carrying out our industrial action, including both printed materials and personal contact with officials and representatives.

RMT cleaner members working for Initial and ISS demonstrated outside the Olympic Park at Stratford Station on August 9, 2012 as they kick off a 48 hour strike for pay justice and Olympics recognition. Filmed and edited by Andrew Brattle.

Transport union RMT said today that it has joined forces with web campaigners and union resource Labour Start to launch a global “cyber picket” of London Mayor Boris Johnson in the fight for Olympics pay justice for tube cleaners working for ISS and Initial.

The cleaners began a 48 hours strike at 05:30 hours on Thursday 9th August 2012 and the action runs until 05:29 hours on Saturday 11th August 2012.

Pickets were out in force at Stratford and other London locations yesterday and there will be another protest at Stratford at twelve noon today.