No to 19
Submitted by Admin on 23 September, 2009 - 14:02John Kennedy, Vice chair London taxi branch, writes ...
Clause 19 of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) bill seeks to introduce a “voluntary registration” for pedicabs that will allow councils and transport for London to issue fixed penalty notices for parking and moving traffic offences. The scheme is voluntary and therefore no owner or rider is compelled to register and therefore there is no sanction for those who chose not to operate under the scheme. The Head of Transportation at Westminster city council intends to give up to 30 ranks/bays for pedicabs to park/operate from and this will lead to reasonable members of the public believing that these dangerous objects are in fact regulated by councils or TfL in London.
Picket: No to 19!
RMT's London taxi branch is holding a picket on Parliament Square, Windsor House (TfL HQ) and Westminster city council offices regarding the “London Local Authorities and Transport for London (no.2) bill” ... ”No to 19” clause 19 of the bill.
This article explains cabbies' objections to this legislation.
National Express East Coast
Submitted by Admin on 22 September, 2009 - 08:47This resolution, submitted by LU Fleet branch, proposed by Hammersmith & City and seconded by DLR, was passed by the October 2009 meeting of to the Regional Council ...
The collapse of privatisation on National Express East Coast has again vindicated the RMT's position that railways should always have remained in the public sector and that the threatened sell-off of the franchise to Stagecoach will only be a repeat of the original mistake of privatisation.
Obituary: RMT stalwart John Knight passes away
Submitted by plectrum on 22 September, 2009 - 00:56John Knight a lifelong union rep, activist and officer of Finsbury Park Branch has died after being diagnosed with throat cancer only six weeks ago. John spent most of his working life as a guard and driver both at Oakwood and Arnos Grove and was known for the integrity and unshakeable principles that characterise all that is good about our union. He was kind and compassionate and was well respected by all who knew him; even in his retirement years that were so tragically cut short, he still gave his time without reward to help youngsters in his local RAF cadet company.
Safety rep has pay deducted for doing union duty
Submitted by plectrum on 21 September, 2009 - 19:21Local trains health and safety rep, Gary Fitzpatrick, was recently deducted a day’s pay in a case which demonstrates the warped priorities of our management at the moment. Safety continues to be ignored in favour of keeping the service running at all costs, and union reps continue to be harassed and bullied for trying to protect their members.
Safety ignored after lift failure
Five Rounders? You're Having a Laugh!
Submitted by plectrum on 21 September, 2009 - 19:11By a majority of 3 to 1 on a high turnout, RMT drivers on the Victoria line have voted for strike action and action short of a strike against local management’s attempt to impose 5-rounder duties on the line. The unions had an agreement with the company that there would be no more than four rounders in any duty because of the hot and noisy conditions on the line and the detrimental effect on morale that these turns
BLACKHORSE ROAD MANAGEMENT TREAT SAFETY AS OPTIONAL EXTRA - AGAIN!
Submitted by plectrum on 21 September, 2009 - 18:57Readers will remember that in the May edition of Monthly News we reported on a serious breach of safety at Blackhorse Road when the station was left open at the insistence of a DSM despite both escalators being out of action and contrary to the Congestion Control Evacuation Plan (CCEP). Alarmingly, the CCEP was broken again recently, this time at Tottenham Hale.
Finsbury Park Branch Monthly News
Submitted by plectrum on 21 September, 2009 - 14:29Click on the link to download the September issue of Monthly News.
Eurostar cleaners rock-solid in strike action over pay, jobs and bullying
Submitted by Admin on 18 September, 2009 - 13:23RMT CLEANERS working on the Eurostar contract for the Carlisle Group at St Pancras International are rock solid this morning in their support for a 48 hour strike which started at 21.59 hours last night.
The cleaners - who are fighting a pay freeze, a threat of redundancies, the introduction of Orwellian finger-printing machines and the victimisation of a union rep – have mounted a noisy mass picket at St Pancras International this morning.