Regional Organisers reports

LUL Pay and Night Tube Negotiaions ACAS update from Regional Organiser John Leach

Dear RMT Members

Today myself and senior RMT reps from all LUL grades attended exploratory talks at ACAS to discuss the above matter. All the unions made the same point that LUL must abandon its reckless decision to break our current arrangements , and that the management must agree to negotiate changes.

Report on talks at ACAS, 2 May 2014, about Every Job Matters dispute with London Underground Ltd from John Leach, RMT Regional Organiser

So, what really happened?

At 10:00 hours yesterday morning, I as Regional Organiser and eleven other lead reps from all grades attended talks at ACAS to see if we could find a way forward in this dispute.

Dear Fellow RMT members,

Following on from the RMT National Executive's decision to call strike action for 48 hours on the 28/29/30th April and again for 72 hours on the 5/6/7/8th May, our negotiating group, led by myself, attended meetings and talks this week just gone.

"We will fight, be prepared for strike action"

Today myself and senior reps reported back to ACAS the results of the previous 8 weeks of talks on the issues Fit for Future Stations .

The fact is that management still intend to close every ticket office, use selection to make people reapply for their jobs, cut 953 jobs and tear up agreements.

Regional Organiser Steve Hedley's and Executive Member Janine Booth's report Summary

CLEANERS AND SECURITY STAFF
strike action on ISS and Initial (LU) and Carlisle (DLR), 48 hours starting with early shifts tomorrow, Friday 27 July pickets/protest – list on separate sheet; central picket/leafleting 12 noon, Friday 27 July picket packs/leaflets/stickers – available at Regional Council meeting

Initial legal threat - RMT defending our action against this spurious and vindictive threat

From RMT London Transport Regional Organiser Steve Hedley

Dear colleagues,

Cleaners and security guards some on as little as £6.09 per hour are fighting for a living wage and Olympic recognition payments.

There will be two days of strike action beginning on 0530 am on Friday 27th July. Three companies are in dispute Carlisle (cleaners and security) on the DLR, ISS and Initial cleaners on London Underground.

Here is the latest LUL pay offer, it is not a final offer.

1. Year 1: 4.5%, (which is an improvement of 0.5%)
2. Years 2 to 5: Feb RPI + 0.25%: This has now been improved with a guarantee that LU will not take into account negative RPI, assuming such a scenario.
3. As before we will also discuss the question of statutory holiday working arrangements;
4. In addition, we are now offering to re-examine our current flexible working arrangements, which would include an examination of the question of career breaks for train operators.

   I will keep you advised of all further developments - Steve Hedley, RMT Regional Organiser, London Transport Region

RMT rejects London Underground pay offer

This year we put in a joint pay claim with Unite and Tssa (aslef were asked to join us but declined.) RMT, TSSA and Unite are meeting on Thursday 28th April to discuss our next joint positions (once again
Aslef were invited but declined.) RMT formally rejected London Underground's pay offer which was a five year deal. A 4 percent pay deal this year when inflation is 5.5 percent and inflation plus 0.25 percent for the next four years. We will be seeking more talks on pay and I will keep you informed of all progress made.

Regional Organiser Steve Hedley writes ...

I regret to inform you that despite our best efforts in negotiations at ACAS, talks have broken down due to management's refusal to compromise.The RMT delegation proposed that we should enter binding arbitration on the issue of the criterion for deciding on ticket office opening hours, a process where both sides put their arguments and an independent body decides on the merits of the case. In an action that betrays their lack of any solid justification for massive job cuts, management issued a press statement saying they will not go.

From Steve Hedley, RMT Regional Organiser:

If anyone has bought into the management propaganda that the 800 station staff job cuts will not affect drivers, the management's latest attack on safety should shatter their illusions.

LUL has put forward a raft of proposals which will compromise the safety of drivers and passengers alike, and are trying to steamroller them through in order to do away with the need for station staff.

Managements new 'Operational Effectiveness Programme' seeks to: