As part of the Branch’s efforts to encourage debate and discussion on issues outside LUL but still relevant to the times we live in, this month we were addressed by Cecil Gutzmore, a lecturer at the University of West Indies, living in Jamaica.
No reader of Monthly News will be surprised to hear that since our strike in June 2009, there have been at least five more wrong-side door openings (WSDOs) with management trying to hush them up and rightly not referring any of the staff involved to disciplinary action. Management know that these incidents have only happened because of their failure to provide the safety device used on all other stock on all other lines - Correct Side Door Enabler (CSDE). No one has been sent to a disciplinary hearing, that is, except the person most unlikely to have been sent to one.
RMT and ASLEF Health and Safety reps at Arnos Grove depot have written a joint letter to their Train Operations Manager to express their concerns with the constant low intensity radiation emissions given off by the Tetra system recently installed throughout the London Underground railway system.
It sometimes seems as though staff and management are subject to entirely different company disciplinary procedures. Why? Consider what would happen if you were accused of kicking another member of staff or of racially abusing someone in full view of a customer. Yes, you guessed it; you would be stood down pending investigation. But not if you are a manager, apparently! An Arnos Grove DMT was recently alleged to have assaulted one of our driver members by kicking him, but incredibly remains at work.
Partly as a result of what has happened to Mercy [Odisi, former RMT rep, Green Park Group] our branch [Finsbury park] has decided to produce the following guidance for SAMFs which, if followed, should protect ticket office staff from suffering the same fate as befell Mercy:
1. Be extra careful with money transfers and float/deposit safe audits.
2. If you are doing POMs and are unhappy with the amount you have taken, compared with the amount recorded that you have taken, log it and tell ESAF on the autophone.
Read or download the February edition of Monthly News by clicking on the attachment below.
In this month's edition:
1. Play it safe and keep your job. Valuable advice for all ticket office staff.
2. Are managers immune to company policies?
3. Tetra emissions: Unions seek the truth.
4. Whose stethoscope are you under? LUL managers become doctors!
The 'Robin Hood Tax' campaign has been set up to gain support for a tax on financial institutions. The tax would be on all financial transactions at a rate of 0.5%. This could make around £250 000 000 tax revenue each year.
As taxation revenue was around £606bn in 2007/2008, an extra £250bn would help improve a lot of peoples lives
PRESENT: Josie Toussaint-Pinnock, Adrian Finney, Carol Foster, John Reid, Dean O'Hanlon, Pat O'Brien, Gary Lazell, Janine Booth, Bob McMunn, Mark Harding, Glenroy Watson, Vaughan Thomas, Will Reid IN ATTENDANCE: Steve Hedley (Regional Organiser), Olly New (Council of Executives member)
ORGANISATION AND RECRUITMENT PLAN
The Executive endorsed the recruitment and organising plan, including amendments agreed by the meeting held immediately before the Executive.
A Morden and Oval branch busworkers meeting will take place on Monday 8th March from 4pm at Ruskin House Trade Union Centre, 23, Coombe Road, Croydon, CR0 1BD. The nearest train stations are East Croydon from the north and South Croydon from the south. It is a five minute walk from both stations or bus routes 119, 312 and 466 from East Croydon or 405 from Redhill to Coombe Road bus stop.
All RMT members are welcome to attend.
Click '2 attachments' / file names to download a leaflet and the text of the agreement reached at ACAS.
Following developments today at ACAS, the RMT has agreed to suspend ALL action for this Sunday (and subsequent Sundays following this).
Over the next few weeks, a procedure will be agreed whereby any discussions on roster changes will need to go through a defined process that allows for full discussions to occur at local, functional and company council levels.