LUL Stations

As has been previously reported LU management have been consulting with RMT and TSSA on a proposed new Surplus and Loss Procedure http://www.rmtplatform.org.uk/node/1028.

They have now given us a "Final Version" which they intend to implement shortly.As we have reported at each stage of this process RMT have put forward our proposals,some of which have been included in the New Procedure but most have been ignored.

We have been asked to give management our final comments/proposals on this procedure by the 11/10/2011.

This article is taken from the September issue of RMT News, page 16EC member Janine Booth outlines six successful union campaigns to reverse unfair sackings from different grades and in different companies Docklands Light Railway Sacked Passenger Service Agents Ian Peavot and Julian Harper for comments they posted on Facebook. DLR staff, nearly all of whom are RMT members, also had other grievances against the company, and when talks made little progress, voted overwhelmingly for industrial action. RMT reps decided on a 48- hour strike, and while lawyers wrangled about its legality, the branch kept campaigning and negotiating. Management backed down, reinstated Ian and Julian, and resolved the other issues too. Meanwhile, RMT and TSSA members on London Underground were fighting job cuts, and the company took hostages.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the successful and well attended meeting of our Station Grades Representatives in Doncaster on Wednesday 21st September 2011 where a multitude of issues was discussed.

Therefore the General Secretary is instructed to establish a General Grades Sub-committee called Special Staff our Stations sub-Committee and we appoint Brother March, Brother Thompson and Sister Booth to this sub-committee and that the matter of Staff Our Stations campaign be referred into this Sub-committee for examination and report.

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RAIL UNION RMT today called on the Government to “wholly reject” the McNulty Rail Review proposals to axe station-based staff and guards on trains after the union was presented with a stark intelligence report from Southeastern Railways setting out a strategy for dealing with a Mumbai or Norway style “Active Shooter” attack on the railways with a warning that such an attack is a “strong possibility.”

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, that London Underground has given an assurance that the ‘community wardens’ are not used in Finsbury Park station, and that our local representatives confirm this.

We remain vigilant over this or similar developments, and ask branches and representatives to inform us if they become aware of any attempt to use non-LUL people to carry out or infringe upon LUL staff’s work.
London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the thorough discussions that took place at the meeting of our representatives on 24 May, and the reports from our Regional Organiser and Stations & Revenue Council representatives. We also note LU management’s response to the reviews dated 25 May. We instruct the General Secretary to write urgently to LU, summarising the issues raised by our representatives at ACAS as outlined in the file, informing the company that we find its response totally inadequate and insisting on a more detailed response.

TUBE UNION RMT today cast a public safety warning over London Underground’s Olympic strategy for staffing stations as it emerged they plan to use “Non Licensed Volunteers” to work throughout stations doing “way finding”- a coded term for crowd control - a skill and task that should only be carried out by experienced competent members of staff.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report on the equality strand of the review of London Underground’s OSP (job cuts). We endorse the detailed critique of the job cuts’ impact on equalities, which can be found on file. This critique highlights that London Underground:

• calculates station staffing levels without considering the needs of equality groups
• uses methods for collecting information, categorising passenger journeys and assessing data which are deeply flawed and fail to account for equality issues
  

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the correspondence from London Underground, which unequivocally confirms that the company has finally accepted that Version 22a of the Stations Framework Agreement is the agreed Framework which applies to station staff and that its Version 24 has not been agreed and does not apply.