Bob Crow's branch (LU Engineering branch)

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Includes engineering staff of all grades employed by Metronet, TubeLines and contractors. The LUL Engineering branch has a website here and is on Facebook here

 

 

 

Death Knell for PPP?

Submitted by Janine on 4 January, 2010 - 15:56

headlinesI've written the following article for 'Solidarity' newspaper ...

A decision by the PPP Arbiter in December may prove to be a fatal punch to private infrastructure company Tube Lines and the whole ‘Public-Private Partnership’ set-up on London Underground.

The New Labour government imposed the PPP at the very end of 2002, despite widespread opposition. PPP organised the Underground’s infrastructure into three groups of lines, and transferred them to private consortia known as Infracos, two to now-defunct Metronet, one – the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines – to Tube Lines.

Understanding the PPP Arbiter's Draft Directions

Submitted by Janine on 30 December, 2009 - 09:23

On 17 December, the PPP Arbiter published an important document, which may turn out to be a staging post in the collapse of Tube Lines and – following 2007’s similar collapse of Metronet – of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) itself.

It also contains information about issues of great concern to London Underground and TubeLines staff - including problems with the Jubilee line upgrade, pensions, the London Living Wage, cuts in stations refurbishments, "machine-room-less escalators", and engineering staff working across all lines.

As it is a very long and technical document, I have attempted to summarise and explain it here.

PPP Meltdown On The Underground As Tube Lines Contract Descends Into Chaos

Submitted by Peter on 14 December, 2009 - 14:10
photo by Paul Mattsson

TUBE UNION RMT today called for PPP contractor Tube Lines to be stripped of their contract with immediate effect and without compensation, and their work brought back under direct public control, as it emerged that their operations on the Piccadilly, Northern and Jubilee Lines have collapsed into chaos and recrimination.

RMT have no doubt that the poisoned relationship between TfL and Tube Lines has now broken down irretrievably with a sequence of events in the run up to Thursdays decision by the arbiter on the value of the next phase of their contract fuelling the case for the company to be dumped.

Tubelines cuts Hit Escalator Safety Inspections and Signal Maintenance

Submitted by Peter on 3 December, 2009 - 23:00
Photo by James Cridlan

TUBE UNION RMT today accused TfL and Tube Lines of slashing safety standards to dangerous levels as it emerged that twice weekly inspection of escalators will be cut to just once a week and the 12 week frequency of signal maintenance on the Jubilee Line will be cut to a 16 week cycle.

The latest safety and maintenance cuts on the Tube Lines section of the Underground have come just two weeks after RMT exposed moves to hack back the frequency of track inspections on the Jubilee Line extension.

RMT reps will be raising the issues at a meeting of the Health and Safety forum today – Thursday 3rd December – with a demand that the cuts be reversed as a matter of urgency.

Emergency Resolution: CWU Dispute

Submitted by Admin on 27 October, 2009 - 11:20

This resolution, submitted by LU Engineering branch and seconded by TfL no.1 branch, was passed by the October meeting of the Regional Council.

That the region condemn the use of scab labour to undermine the just CWU dispute. We call on the council of executives to support the CWU, financially, politically and through the TUC to defeat this tactic.

Resolution: Fighting the BNP

Submitted by Admin on 13 July, 2009 - 11:18

This resolution, submitted by LU Engineering branch, was passed unanimously by the July meeting of the Regional Council.

This Region region totally condemns the activities of the racists and facists that call themselves the BNP.

To this end this region will: * join the protest in Codnor Derbyshire, against the Red, White and Blue Fascist "festival" organised by the BNP in Derbyshire on Saturday 15th August. * It will also produce badges for its Region's members "LT Region aginst Racism" (The LU Engineering Branch agrees to donate £500 to the cost) *

RMT warns of new PPP collapse on Tube as £2 billion funding row erupts between TfL and Tube Lines

Submitted by Admin on 6 July, 2009 - 12:00

Tube union RMT warned today of another potential privatisation collapse on the Tube as a £2 billion funding row broke out between Tube Lines and Transport for London which could put essential works and thousands of jobs at risk in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.

Tube Lines, which holds the contract for the repairs and refurbishment of the Piccadilly, Northern and Jubilee Lines, has attempted to hack £2 billion from it's estimated costs of £ 7.2 billion on the work programme for the next seven and half years with a significant scaling back of the scope of the planned works.

Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2009, Redundancies and Breach of Agreements – REW Metronet Acton Works

Submitted by plectrum on 6 April, 2009 - 14:17

From RMT official circular IR.114/09, dated 1st April 2009

I am writing to advise you that the Union is holding a ballot for strike action and action short of a strike over a number of very important issues.