These are notes from Council of Executive Member Janine Booth's report to the London Transport Regional Council meeting. The meeting is held on the last Thursday of each month, and members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Report

EQUALITIES

Women
- ‘Bargaining for gender equality’ European event
- UN/ITF Day of Action, 25 November
- 7 November = ‘Equal Pay Day’
- Malala Youssafzai

LGBT
- new TUC guide available on LGBT rights at work
- international LGBT rights

BEM
- internal structures review

Disability
- TUC Disabled Workers’ Committee, 13 November

CLEANERS
- ISS fingerprinting – action short
- Vinci – response to our pay claim
- FGW Mitie cleaners 72-hour strike this weekend

PENSIONS
- verbal report on collecting of 200 signatures for EGMs
- please continue to collect signatures

LONDON UNDERGROUND

USE OF AGENCY STAFF / TRAINPEOPLE
Payments to Trainpeople members:
- money donated by branches
- application to Disputes Fund
Ballot of all LU members
- notice served 31/10/13
- ballot papers out from 7/11/13
- ballot closes 29/11/13
- why it took five months to prepare the ballot
It is essential that every branch organises workplace visits from now, throughout the balloting period, to win support for this action

FLEET
- ballot: auto-prep, core work agreement, other issues

SERVICE CONTROL
- CAPs
- disciplining of instructor over trainees’ mistake

DRIVER RECRUITMENT
- LUL to recruit externally, due to ‘a continued shortfall of [internal] applicants’
- RMT will strongly resist this

TRAINS
Piccadilly line ballot
- ballot papers out today, closes Thursday 14 November
Detrainment
- return of the ‘flash and dash’?

JOB CUTS

Mike Brown at GLA Transport Committee, 16 October (http://www.london.gov.uk/webcasts/34450/asx) – LUL to reveal its plans for stations staffing by the end of November and serve 90 days’ notice

Reps’ meeting 8 November 10am, Unity House: invited: the Secretary and Chair (or substitute) of every branch with members in TfL companies; a representative in each function on London Underground, Tube Lines and London Overground; a representative in each of the other TfL companies; the Assistant General Secretary; GGC members; and the lead officers. PLEASE make sure you come: this is the important meeting for pulling together our strategy to beat the impending job cuts

Action for Rail day of leafleting, 23 October – went ok, but we need much more participation in such events

Stations
- in dispute about ticket offices
- in dispute about mobile supervision

Driverless trains
- RMT demanded assurances; LUL reply; Siemen’s exhibition
- Now is the time to fight over this; if we wait until the trains are ordered, it will be too late
- Lesson from Helsinki: don’t rely on technical obstacles; don’t wait until it’s a done deal

‘Every Job Matters’ broadsheet being sent to all members

We need an immediate, imaginative, sustained,
co-ordinated industrial response, involving members in as many TfL companies as possible/appropriate; and of all LUL grades.

I believe that on London Underground Ltd, we should ballot over DEFENDING JOBS, which affects all grades and functions: preparations for driverless trains (LUL’s letter, auto-prep); mobile station supervision; ticket office closures; planned job cuts on service control; track and signals developments; unfilled RCI vacancies; continuing use of agency staff, especially on track

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY

- Israeli Army refuser Noam Gur is visiting the UK in November: will be visiting Unity House and being interviewed for RMT News; and speaking at event on Thursday 14 November, 19:15 at Leytonstone ex-Services club (after Central Line East branch meeting)

- Sindyanna merchandise – new batch being ordered, to raise money/solidarity for Workers’ Advice Centre

Janine Booth
31/10/13