Detrainment dispute

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FIGHT AGAINST JOB CUTS

Members should already be in receipt of the broadsheet, "We Can Stop Job Cuts". This outlines how we lost over 800 jobs between March 2011 & March 2012, while passenger numbers have soared to record levels. The Broadsheet details all the arguments of our Union to maintain a fully staffed, publicly owned and integrated transport system.

Unfortunately those who run Government, in London and nationally, and their highly paid bosses at London Underground are not moved by rational arguments. A fully staffed underground system would offer the World Class service that Londoners expect.

Click on the attachment to download the Bakerloo Trains news. Main story follows:

DETRAINMENT DISPUTE Report from Acas

As we move into week three of our safety dispute over LU’s unsafe detrainment process we are happy to inform drivers that our action remains solid. Drivers are to be congratulated for standing strong in the face of LU’s ambivalence to the problem.

TUBE BOSSES today stood accused of “lying through their teeth” over the effect of industrial action being taken by train drivers to protect passenger safety on the capital’s Bakerloo line.

Since January 15, Bakerloo drivers in RMT and Aslef have been physically checking that trains are empty of passengers before moving into sidings, after LUL stopped station staff checking carriages.

As we enter week two of RMT`s and ASLEF’s dispute with London Underground over their unsafe detrainment procedure we are happy to inform you that the action on the ground by drivers remains solid. Drivers are united and determined to force Bakerloo management to introduce a safe procedure for detrainment at terminus locations.

Week two of our dispute has generated a letter from Mr Lance Ramsey, the General Manger of the Bakerloo Line to drivers expressing his view that “the safety of our staff and customers is our top priority.” Let’s take a closer look at this claim.

Tube drivers on the Bakerloo Line enter second week of industrial action for safety.

Angry Bakerloo passengers have tweeted:

“Bakerloo line has been just an appalling service all week. I leave my house earlier and earlier each day and appear to get to work later!!”

“I would rather hop everywhere than have to get on the Bakerloo Line again.”

“Is there any refund procedure for continuous delays to your service? Bakerloo line is an absolute joke at the moment.”

With over 3000 passenger overcarries into the Queens Park sidings last year, culminating in the near fatality of a 12 year old boy in October, drivers are physically checking that trains are empty of passengers before moving trains into sidings.

United action by ASLEF and RMT drivers for safety on the Bakerloo Line has been rock solid and has hit LU hard. So much so, that LU are not allowing the control room to manage the service in the best interest of passengers or the service. A diktat from senior LU bosses has stated that a ‘special service’ is not to be implemented and management have been placed in the control room to ensure that control room staff abide by this. They are intentionally out to sabotage the best running of the trains to make drivers suffer.

Industrial action for a safer detrainment procedure on the Bakerloo starts Tuesday 15th of January until further notice. All trains going into sidings or depots should be physically detrained to ensure no overcarries.

Some important points to remember:

• Always be in the correct position at the correct time for your pick up.

• If you are the relieving driver, inform the driver you are relieving that you will be physically detraining as per industrial action to ensure no overcarries.

We note that further discussions have taken place to arrange synchronisation with ASLEF for the Bakerloo line action. We therefore instruct the General Secretary to cancel our industrial action on the Bakerloo line only starting at 00:01 on Thursday 10 January and to begin the action instead at 00:01 on Tuesday 15 January. The industrial action remains the same as in our previous instruction and is to run until further notice; and the timing of the industrial action on the Central line remains unchanged.

The RMT's planned Industrial action that was due to take place on Thursday 10th January 2013 has now been revised, so action can be co-ordinated with ASLEF on the Bakerloo Line. A joint notice with ASLEF has been produced and can be downloaded (see the attachment).

Members are instructed to disregard my previous instruction to take industrial action from Thursday 10th January 2013 and should instead take the following industrial action short of a strike:-

Bakerloo and Central line drivers to take action over “detrainment” carriage checking

Following a substantial ballot in favour of taking industrial action over London Underground’s removal of detrainment staff, leaving Bakerloo and Central Line drivers to take trains into depots and sidings without staff on hand physically checking that all passengers are off the train, tube union RMT has agreed to call the following industrial action short of a strike:-