LUL Trains

Attached is the May edition of 'RMT Stratford North Greenwich News'

Your representatives and senior LUL management met today to discuss the issues surrounding the introduction of S Stock trains.

The following items were discussed.

If the company press machine is to be believed, stations and in particular the stations on the outskirts of the underground network are ghost stations. Whereby there is very little need for station staff, staff there sit around drinking tea and watch Jeremy Kyle all day. Customers come and go as they please using all this wonderful modern technology such as etop up; wide aisle gates and help points. No need for station staff they say.

In this edition:

• Piccadilly dispute latest
• Tube lines dispute
• Update on Rainbow Sickness Process from Stations Functional Council Reps
• Fighting for the 33
• Support ISS Cleaners
• Supervisor Cuts and Wider use of ICSAs Will be Resisted
• Thermal Comfort Survey

We note the report from our lead officer, which confirms that following a meeting described by our representative as ‘positive’, there is an action plan to resolve the dispute and that industrial action will not be necessary.

This matter is to be placed back in front of us following the three-month review.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised. Jubilee South branch to be advised by personal letter.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser and the correspondence from our Hammersmith and City branch and our LUL Trains Council representatives.

We note that there are several serious problems concerning the introduction of the S Stock, itemised in previous GGC decisions and including inadequate preparation time and cross-line working. We reaffirm our stance that the introduction of new stock must not be a pretext for attacks on safety standards or working conditions.

Management throw policies and agreements out of the window as the RMT takes a stand for drivers.

The issues…

Following months of turning the screw on members who are sick or make mistakes at work, the “new style” management thought that we would just lie down and take it. The latest insult resulted in duty sheets being produced that attempted to rob the members at the west end of the line of 5 minutes booking on time. As soon as management got wind that this was going to unite the line against them, a new set of sheets were produced that adhered to agreements. As if by magic! This is the thin end of the wedge. Management clearly want to cut your union out and do as they please. If this is allowed to continue you will very soon come to work in fear of your job.

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd outlining its proposed settlement of this dispute, and instruct the General Secretary to obtain and place in front of us a report as to whether this represents a satisfactory outcome for our members.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised. Jubilee South branch to be advised by personal letter.

Tube union RMT today confirmed a ballot for strike action of Train Operators and Instructor Operators on the Piccadilly Line in response to London Underground riding roughshod over agreements and abusing a range of agreed policies and procedures.

London Underground has also unilaterally decided to split Acton Town Piccadilly Depot into two, ripping up rosters and booking times, refusing perfectly reasonable requests for decent staff facilities and bulldozing through their plans outside of the agreed negotiating machinery.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

We note the report from our Regional Organiser and the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch.

We note that it is the unanimously-held view of our drivers' representatives and branch officers on the Piccadilly line that the union should ballot Piccadilly line drivers for strike action without delay.

Our representatives believe that the line's management are riding roughshod over agreements and for some time appear to have been deliberately misinterpreting policy on SPADs, holistic reports and attendance, particularly at Arnos Grove.