Branch News From Stratford 1

44 YEARS SERVICE AND 13 WORKING DAYS ‘TIL RETIREMENT - “HERE’S A 23-WEEK WARNING!”

With 44 years service and only 13 working days until his retirement, Steve Hover, a respected and well-liked Loughton driver, was summoned to attend a Local Disciplinary Interview (LDI) for infringing LUL’s punitive sickness policy, and given a vindictive 23-week warning.

Steve had fallen foul of LUL’s attendance policy, despite conscientiously returning to work the very next day after the single day’s sickness that triggered the disciplinary. The Train Operations Standards Manager (TOSM) had the option to talk informally with Steve, but chose to ignore Steve’s efforts to minimise his non-attendance.

At the disciplinary, the TOSM stated she had decided to issue a 23-week warning, and contemptuously added that she could have issued a 26-week warning! The RMT regards this LDI decision as grotesque and unfair, and an immediate appeal has been submitted. Retirement is generally a happy time, usually marked with celebrations and tokens of the employers’ gratitude. But not so if you work for London Underground!

Sadly, London Underground’s open contempt towards Steve’s 44 years service is depressingly “consistent” with the overbearing style of management at Loughton.
With the Olympics and Queens Diamond Jubilee happening in less than six months, you’d think management would be motivating drivers, rather than adding to the already low moral at Loughton depot.

WE MUST PUT RIGHT THIS INJUSTICE!

PLEASE SUPPORT STEVE HOVER

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR UNION