The TSSA and RMT unions today agreed to commit to formal talks which could ultimately lead to a merger of the two unions. Initial discussions will focus on closer working between both unions initially through a federation structure with a view to moving towards a merger.
Here are the minutes from Stratford Number 1 branch's March meeting.
Click 'Read more' to see the full minutes, or download the attachment below.
SAVE UK TRAIN MAKING MASS MARCH AND RALLY THIS SATURDAY
Tens of thousands of trade unionists are expected to be out on the streets of Derby this Saturday (23rd July) in a mass march and rally to save the last train-building plant in the UK - Bombardiers Derby works.
The march will assemble at Bass’s Recreation Ground, Derby (DE1 2PB) (
London Underground management have tabled an improved offer for the 2011 pay award. Having considered this offer your General Grades Committee has made the following decision that “we reject the latest pay offer from London Underground."
Read the full circular to see the new offer in full and why the RMT General Grades Committee have rejected it.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
That we welcome the verbal report from our Branch Secretary that the elections to the vacant representatives’ positions have now taken place to the satisfaction of our branch. We note, however, that elections for health and safety representatives are outstanding, and instruct the General Secretary to pursue this with the employer.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We note the resolution from our London Taxis branch and accept the sentiments expressed in it. London taxi drivers face many important issues, and this union should have the right to represent our members’ views on these issues through the TfL Taxi Engagement Policy. We therefore demand that the Taxi Engagement Policy recognise RMT, as it does other organisations, as a bona fide representative body of taxi drivers.
We therefore instruct the General Secretary to:
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We condemn Bombardier’s plan to cut hundreds of jobs at its Derby plant, with 446 job cuts already notified with the total probably to rise to 1400. These job cuts follow the decision by the Government not to award the Thameslink contract to Bombardier, will cause further job losses in Bombardier’s supply chain, and will be a devastating blow to Derby and its surrounding area.
Bombardier’s Derby plant should be brought into public ownership (as should the whole railway industry), to protect jobs, services and train manufacturing.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We note the resolution from our LU Engineering branch, and that our members employed by Thales at Waterloo can no longer tolerate the military style and systematic culture of bullying at their location.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We note the resolution from our Supervisory, Clerical & Other Salaried Grades Conference [see below] and the sentiments expressed within.
We endorse its objections to the ways in which passengers are ripped off by the ticketing system and left without adequate assistance by companies’ cuts in staffing levels and ticket office opening hours.
RMT General Grades Committee decision:
We share the concerns of some of our representatives that these guidelines may lead to unfair disciplinary action, and may compromise the ability of union members and representatives to correspond with each other in confidence, for example regarding sensitive personal cases.
We therefore instruct the General Secretary to obtain advice as to the legality of these guidelines, and to place the advice in front of us once received.
London Transport Regional Council and branches with London Underground members to be advised.