October Bakerloo Branch newsletter

Submitted by Joffe on 26 September, 2010 - 20:55

Click on the link to see the latest Bakerloo Branch newsletter.

Main story follows:
Strike again on October 4th!
Overtime ban causes havoc - keep it going!

The last strike and the continuing overtime ban has shocked LU management. They assumed that the months of brain washing - the job cuts are necessary and inevitable - would convince ordinary tube workers not to take action. This has backfired on them big time.

New Attack on Trains Safety: Tripcock Testing to be Cut?

Submitted by Janine on 25 September, 2010 - 07:43

LU management have produced a document which waters down safety checks for trains. Your reps believe that this is a disaster waiting to happen. The document states that during special circumstances, special timetable operation, abnormal service patterns, failure of trip-cock testers, there is no requirement to test trip-cocks every trip. Every 48 hours or so seems good enough for LU.

As far as RMT is concerned, trip-cocks must be tested every trip regardless of other circumstances.

Tube Engineering Work Cancelled As Overtime Ban Bites

Submitted by Peter on 24 September, 2010 - 15:20
  • LU busting safety rules by running uninspected trains, says RMT
  • Union has evidence that trains that have not been inspected for 14 days have not been taken out of service, as operating rules require.

ALL MAJOR engineering work on London Underground scheduled for this weekend has been cancelled as an overtime by the network’s two biggest unions begins to bite.

Works hit by the ban include major re-railing between White City and Marble Arch, as well as all work on signalling systems.

OEP: Unions Knock Back Unsafe Plans for LU Drivers

Submitted by Admin on 24 September, 2010 - 13:04

Some good news for a change! Over the past 6 months the Trains Safety Council have been reporting on LU’s proposal to introduce a series of safety critical changes to the role of driver, the Operational Effectiveness Programme. These have included: reversing 'blind' back into a platforms after an over-run, drivers self-dispatching at category ‘A’ platforms with defective OPO, checking signal aspect after SPAD and carrying on etc.

Industrial Action: RMT & TSSA LU Staff Will Not Participate in £5 minimum Oyster Top Up

Submitted by Peter on 24 September, 2010 - 02:23

RMT and TSSA step up industrial action in fight over safe tube staffing levels – staff will not participate in £5 Oyster top-up from Sunday 3rd October

TUBE UNION’S RMT AND TSSA confirmed today that the next phase of industrial action on the tube network in the fight to defend safe staffing levels is on and that the scale of the action will be ramped up with union members refusing to participate in the £5 minimum Oyster top-up from Sunday 3rd October.

New Decision from RMT Executive - Changes to Industrial Action

Submitted by Admin on 23 September, 2010 - 17:00

That we congratulate our London Underground members and those of TSSA for their display of unity and standing up to the threat of massive cuts in jobs and undermining of safety.

Our industrial action will continue unless Management sees sense and withdraws imposition of these totally unacceptable proposals.

The previous GGC decision of 25 August 2010 is amended as follows:

All members in the former Metronet Grades are instructed to take strike action and not to work from 19.00 hours on Sunday 3rd October until 18.59 hours on Monday 4th October.

ACAS Talks Over: Industrial Action ON

Submitted by Janine on 22 September, 2010 - 18:26

Talks between RMT/TSSA and London Underground management took place today, ending around 4pm. The unions' industrial action goes ahead - the overtime ban is still on, and a 24-hour strike is due to take place on 3-4 October.

Our industrial action so far has put sufficient pressure on management for them to attend talks. The unions asked again for the company to withdraw the OSP (job-cutting plan), and made several suggestions as to how talks could go forward productively. Management are now considering their response.