Dear Colleagues,

DEFENDING JOBS, PENSIONS & AGREEMENTS - LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/072/24, 1st March 2024), the anti-trade union laws mean each ballot mandate only lasts for 6 months so another ballot is now due to keep our action live. Ballot papers were posted on Thursday 28th March so should be arriving in the post this week. The ballot closes on Thursday 25th April.

Our demands in this dispute remain consistent and LUL could resolve it by giving us three simple assurances:

1.    No changes to the current pension arrangements

2.    No reduction in the existing headcount of employees

3.    No changes to existing terms and conditions

However, instead of providing the above, TfL has agreed with the government to start a formal consultation in July this year to transfer pensions into the inferior Local Government Pension Scheme. This is despite the last funding report in 2023 confirming that the current TfL final salary pension schemes continue to remain in excellent shape with a surplus in funds.

Previous industrial action protected Station Grades jobs but Fleet Grades are next in line. Fleet Depots are currently only staffed at an average of 80% and management will seek to leave these vacancies unfilled to save money. There are proposals in the pipeline to abolish entire Fleet grades and force this work onto members in other roles.

Train Operators are threatened with changes to their working practices through 'modernisation' involving new technology and working longer hours by ripping up our framework agreement.

Further cuts to all of our hard-won agreements, which apply to all grades, such as the attendance at work policy remain on the company's cost cutting agenda as management seek to make flexibility saving across the whole of London Underground.

I have also produced a leaflet and ask all LUL Branches to circulate the leaflet as widely as possible.

Michael Lynch

General Secretary