London Underground Ltd

Download and read the latest edition of RMT Upfront below, and distribute it in your depot.

In this edition:

• LIES, DAMNED LIES, AND UNATTRIBUTABLE BRIEFINGS
  Regular readers of “Up Front” will remember the report in August describing how Alex McGuigan was wrongfully dismissed following a false positive reading arising from an unannounced breath test. Alex’s rep proved that a number of medical conditions had affected the reading and also that the Drug and Alcohol Procedure hadn’t been properly followed....
• Night Tube By A Night Mayor
  

RE-GRADING OF WATERLOO & CITY LINE SERVICE CONTROL STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/2/2)

Further to my previous Circular No. IR/292/14, 31st October 2014, the General Grades Committee considered this matter and took the decision to escalate this dispute by conducting a ballot for strike action in pursuit of pay justice for these members. I can now advise that the ballot papers will be posted to affected members on Tuesday 11th November and the closing date for this ballot is Tuesday 25th November 2014. I will keep you informed of all further developments.

RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2011-2015 – UK POWER NETWORKS SERVICES (LUL/0001/EDF)

Following the pay deal agreed in 2011, I can advise that the fourth year of the pay deal, for an increase equal to the June RPI figure + 0.5% has now been paid to eligible London Underground former Powerlink NJB and NJIC staff. The percentage award was 3.1% which was implemented in October 2014 and backdated to 1st April 2014 in line with the agreement.

RE-GRADING OF WATERLOO & CITY LINE SERVICE CONTROL STAFF – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/2/2)

The Union has been in talks with the Company at ACAS over the on-going dispute where Waterloo & City Line Service Control Staff have been taking industrial action short of strike action to demand re-grading (Circular No. IR/89/14, 25th March 2014). As a result of these discussions, the proposed resolution which has now been received from management is as follows:-

1. A firm commitment to reassess the weight and value placed on this role should material changes be made to the role performed.

There is a flyer attached to this post, please distribute it amongst colleagues.

Over the last festive period Piccadilly trains ran a service down to Ealing Broadway. This was on the understanding from management it was one off and to help with the engineering works.

Why management are doing this
Management have produced the Xmas duties for this year and, again, it shows duties going to Ealing Broadway. Our union believes this is a management ploy to establish the principle of cross-line working.

No genuine reason

CALLING ALL TRAIN OPERATORS
Do you suffer from any of the following? Bad back, neck, shoulders, wrists, arms, elbows, hands or knees. If the answer is YES to any then please go to the following link below and complete the survey.

In 2013, I undertook the largest survey on the Victoria Line (attached below) with 70% of the Train Operators (both Aslef & RMT members) completing the survey. This was to establish the truth regarding this particular ill-health.

• Click here to complete the survey

Comrades

The Train's Safety Council will be meeting with LU management tomorrow to review the 'Workplace Risk Assessments' and Change Assurance Plans' pertaining to the weekend 96 hour FBU dispute over pensions.

In normal operation, there are 160 fire fighting units covering the London area. During recent disputes there have been 27 units covering 32 London boroughs. You do not have to be Einstein to calculate the discrepancy!

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, TRAINCREW, CENTRAL LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)

Further to my previous Circular No. IR/246/14, 19th September 2014, I advised you of the ballot result in favour of taking strike action and industrial action short of a strike. This matter has been considered by the General Grades Committee, which has noted that significant progress has now been made towards resolving the dispute.

DISMISSAL – A. MCGUIGAN – TRAIN OPERATOR – MORDEN, LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/4/1)

Following the Morden & Oval Branch resolution regarding the above, the General Grades Committee took the decision to ballot all drivers at Morden for strike action and call for his immediate reinstatement (Circular No. IR/240/14, 12th September 2014).