Venue: Exmouth Arms, Star Cross Street, near Euston
Pensions are a very important issue to workers - they ensure a comfortable and dignified retirement - and yet seem both complicated and continually under threat.
In this workshop, one of our rank-and-file RMT pensions reps will explain - and answer questions about - issues including:
RMT is to ballot our members on the Woolwich Ferry for action short of strikes in a dispute about redundancies and attacks on terms and conditions.
Ferry operator SERCO wants to get rid of 31 jobs out of 120 who work on board the ferries. RMT fears that shoreside workers will face redundancies when the company have dealt with the onboard staff.
A summary of where we currently stand with the jobs/pay/justice dispute:
As you will probably know, RMT will be holding a Special General Meeting in early November, which will discuss four rule changes submitted by branches. All these rule changes seek to improve our union's democracy, as follows:
- to extend the time available to branches to submit amendments to resolutions to the union's AGM - to ensure that during disputes, the union's Executive considers the views of a strike committee elected by and from the striking members - to create a larger, more diverse and representative Annual General Meeting
Circular No. IR/253/09: RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2009 – ALSTOM METRO TRAINS
I can confirm that the General Grades Committee has accepted the following offer from Alstom on behalf of our members on the Northern and Jubilee Lines:
Circular No. IR/253/09: RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2009 – CBS OUTDOOR
On the recommendation of our negotiating team, the General Grades Committee has accepted a reduction in the working week of one hour in return for a freeze on all current pay rates.
Whilst far from perfect, negotiators took the view that this was the best position possible given the general malaise in the advertising industry. Indeed the company, which is having to be bankrolled by its parent company in the USA, were originally demanding a pay freeze with no cut in hours.
Circular No. IR/253/09: IMPOSITION OF ROSTERS – CONTROL ROOM – SERCO DOCKLANDS
The above dispute remains ongoing and I am in the process of re-balloting these members for strike action and industrial action short of a strike.
To re-cap, the dispute originated last year from an attempt by management to force Control Room staff from a popular 12 hour roster to an 8 hour one. A successful ballot for industrial action forced them to pull back from implementation, but negotiations broke down and Serco again attempted to unilaterally implement the 12 hour roster.
Circular No. IR/253/09: ROSTERING ISSUES – VICTORIA LINE TRAINCREW, LUL
A dispute situation has arisen on the Victoria Line in respect of our Train Operator members and I am in the process of balloting members for both strike action and industrial action short of a strike. The ballot is due to close on Tuesday 8th September 2009.
The following article has been published in the PCS (civil service trade union) activists' magazine. PCS is interested in working to unionise cleaners, and believes that it can learn from our efforts with London Underground cleaners.
London calling: the divided city
A living wage campaign for Underground cleaners continues despite successes last year, says RMT London Transport regional council secretary Janine Booth
This is an extract from The Employment Practices Code: Data Protection, which you can read in full on the Information Commissioner's Office's website, here.