Finsbury Park branch

Statement from General Secretary Bob Crow:

I am pleased to report that the above dispute was resolved and the intended industrial action has since all been suspended.

LUL have confirmed that the cover required for the “fifth rounder” – the fifth return journey on the Victoria Line – will be treated equally with other cover. In the event that the management are unable to cover the fifth rounder, details will be supplied to RMT representatives. Further meetings on new rosters will take place in January and June next year with the threat of imposition lifted.

TUBE UNION RMT announced today that staff on London Underground’s Victoria Line will stage a 24 hour strike from 21.30 hours on Monday 5th October to 21.29 hours on Tuesday 6th October in a dispute over the imposition of new rosters that significantly increase the workload on staff.

John Knight a lifelong union rep, activist and officer of Finsbury Park Branch has died after being diagnosed with throat cancer only six weeks ago. John spent most of his working life as a guard and driver both at Oakwood and Arnos Grove and was known for the integrity and unshakeable principles that characterise all that is good about our union. He was kind and compassionate and was well respected by all who knew him; even in his retirement years that were so tragically cut short, he still gave his time without reward to help youngsters in his local RAF cadet company.

Local trains health and safety rep, Gary Fitzpatrick, was recently deducted a day’s pay in a case which demonstrates the warped priorities of our management at the moment. Safety continues to be ignored in favour of keeping the service running at all costs, and union reps continue to be harassed and bullied for trying to protect their members.

Safety ignored after lift failure

By a majority of 3 to 1 on a high turnout, RMT drivers on the Victoria line have voted for strike action and action short of a strike against local management’s attempt to impose 5-rounder duties on the line. The unions had an agreement with the company that there would be no more than four rounders in any duty because of the hot and noisy conditions on the line and the detrimental effect on morale that these turns

Readers will remember that in the May edition of Monthly News we reported on a serious breach of safety at Blackhorse Road when the station was left open at the insistence of a DSM despite both escalators being out of action and contrary to the Congestion Control Evacuation Plan (CCEP). Alarmingly, the CCEP was broken again recently, this time at Tottenham Hale.

Click on the link to download the September issue of Monthly News.

John Knight - a lifelong union rep, activist and officer of Finsbury Park Branch - has died following being diagnosed with throat cancer only 6 weeks ago.

John spent most of his working life as a guard and driver both at Oakwood and Arnos Grove and was known for his integrity and unshakeable principles that characterise all that is good about our union. He was kind and compassionate and was well respected by all who knew him and even in his retirement years that were tragically cut short he still gave his time without reward to help youngsters in his local RAF cadet company.

Circular No. IR/253/09: ROSTERING ISSUES – VICTORIA LINE TRAINCREW, LUL

A dispute situation has arisen on the Victoria Line in respect of our Train Operator members and I am in the process of balloting members for both strike action and industrial action short of a strike. The ballot is due to close on Tuesday 8th September 2009.

Click on the attachment to download the August edition of Monthly News.