Finsbury Park branch

This article is about an important Employment Tribunal decision regarding a claim of disability related discrimination. The claimant, a London Underground ticket office worker, won the tribunal and following appeal.

"Appeal by Respondents against ET's findings on disability related discrimination, reasonable adjustments and unfair dismissal. No error of law found in ET's reasoning or decisions on these claims. Given their findings of fact, they were held to be entitled to find in the Claimant's favour and their judgment was held to be sufficiently reasoned. Appeal dismissed."

Continue reading to see the case in full.

We note the request from our Finsbury Park branch, suggesting a joint campaign with ASLEF against the introduction of Automatic Door Opening on the Victoria Line, believing this to be a major component of London Underground’s preparation for the introduction of ‘driverless trains’. We accordingly instruct the General Secretary to contact ASLEF seeking a joint campaign on this issue.

We also encourage our Finsbury Park branch and trains representatives to pursue this with ASLEF at a company and local level.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that our legal advisers now see merit in Brother Mihaj’s legal case, and instruct the General Secretary to ensure that this case is pursued energetically and to place progress reports in front of us.

We further instruct the General Secretary to ask our legal advisers to reconsider their advice regarding the legality of the relevant clause in the Sodexo employment contract, taking into account all possible issues.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

A recent cleaners protest, photo by Mark King

“Greedy Money Grabbing Cleaners” Demand Olympics Bonus

If only this were true! Whilst the debate continues about the financial rewards being offered to most LU staff across the combine for the Olympic Games, please spare a thought for our often downtrodden cleaning colleagues who are employed by the notorious Cleaning Companies.

Please download and distribute the attached poster.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch. We agree with our branch that staffing levels on London Underground stations are deplorably low, and that there is a specific problem with gateline staffing at Wood Green station. We note that negotiations have failed to resolve this matter, and that the branch now wishes to ballot members on Arnos Grove group of stations for action short of strikes with a view to calling an overtime ban.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that Sodexo stopped the occupational sick pay of our representative Petrit Mihaj, claiming that a clause in the contract of employment allows the company to withhold sick pay if an employee is under notice of or part of the disciplinary process.

We believe that this clause is deeply unfair, as it causes a detriment to an employee without him or her being found to have done anything wrong, or even to have been charged with doing anything wrong.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch.

We note that the Employment Tribunal found that London Underground dismissed James Masango 100% unfairly, and believe that LU should therefore reinstate him 100%.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report from our Regional Organiser. We instruct the General Secretary to obtain an up-to-date report and place it in front of us.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We instruct the General Secretary to place in front of us a report on the status of claims and offers in respect of cleaner members in the London Transport region as soon as practical.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the correspondence on file and that agreement has now been reached that allows James Masango to return to work and that he has accepted the offer from his employers. This has been achieved after protracted negotiations with London Underground that eventually resulted in a satisfactory conclusion to this whole sorry saga. We congratulate our members and all those involved who helped achieve an acceptable conclusion to this matter.

Relevant Branches and Regional Council to be informed.