LUL Trains

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note that the Employment Tribunal has ruled that London Underground dismissed Arwyn Thomas unfairly. This proves beyond any doubt what this union has asserted all along – that Arwyn’s sacking was a great injustice.

We further note the Tribunal's finding that “no reasonable employer would have taken this action in these circumstances...”

This injustice can only be put right by Arwyn's return to work for London Underground, not by a pay-off. Our reps are not for sale.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from our Bakerloo branch. We are appalled at London Underground’s decision to downgrade our member Jayesh Patel from Train Operator to Customer Service Assistant, causing him a considerable loss of income. This is clearly a very harsh punishment considering the circumstances. This incident shows once again that London Underground treats its staff very differently from its managers, that the company is systematically persecuting RMT reps and activists, and that London Underground managers, emboldened by senior management’s anti-union stance, are out of control.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the letter from London Underground dated 27 May 2011 on this matter. Its content is not acceptable to our representatives, and by its own admission, it does not address all of our concerns. We continue to believe that there are serious safety concerns on the Victoria Line, and reaffirm our industrial action short of strikes.

We note that a further meeting with the company is to take place on this issue on 23 June. A report on this meeting is to be placed in front of us as soon as possible after this meeting.

The RMT train grades committee has produced the latest edtion of RMT up front focussing on the union's campaign to reinstate Arwyn Thomas. Main stories follow:

UNITE FOR ARWYN THOMAS

Once again, London Underground management have proved that they do not deserve our faith or trust. Following a bold programme of industrial action which shook the establishment and kept the copywriters at the Evening Substandard busy for days and caused politicians and commentators to bay for Boris’ blood, an agreement was reached which allowed us to suspend previous action.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the report from our Regional Organiser and our representative, and are alarmed that London Underground intends to conduct trials from Seven Sisters to Walthamstow Central from May 30 despite our ongoing dispute over safety issues.

RMT GGC decision (extract):

Following consultation with our representatives, we call strike action as follows:

All London Underground train driver members are instructed not to book on for any duty that commences:

• between 21:01 on Monday 16 May and 11:59 on Tuesday 17 May
• between 12:00 on Wednesday 18 May and 11:59 on Thursday 19 May
• between 12:00 on Friday 20 May and 21:00 on Friday 20 May

All London Underground train driver members are further instructed not to book on for any duty that commences:

Click on the attachment to download poster for train depot noticeboards.

RMT General Secretary says:

"It is the abject failure of LU to recognise
that their policy of victimisation of union activists has been well and truly rumbled both in the employment tribunal and in their own depots, and it is that harassment and bullying that has left us with no choice but to name these dates for strike action.

The Strike has been suspended - http://rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/node/2191

All London Underground train driver members are instructed not to book on for any duty that commences:

• between 21:01 on Monday 16 May and 11:59 on Tuesday 17 May
• between 12:00 on Wednesday 18 May and 11:59 on Thursday 19 May
• between 12:00 on Friday 20 May and 21:00 on Friday 20 May

All London Underground train driver members are further instructed not to book on for any duty that commences:

• between 21:01 on Monday 13 June and 11:59 on Tuesday 14 June
• between 12:00 on Wednesday 15 June and 11:59 on Thursday 16 June
• between 12:00 on Friday 17 June and 21:00 on Friday 17 June

TUBE UNION RMT today announced strike dates after members voted by almost two to one for strike action in a ballot of all train operator and instructor operator members in the on-going disputes over the victimisation of union activists including two driver members - Eamon Lynch and Arwyn Thomas - over their trade union activities.

The RMT Train Grades Committee has produced a new "Up Front" the newsletter for London Underground drivers. This edition has been amended to take account of RMT General Grades Committee decision. Click on the attachment to download it. Main stories follow:

Drivers vote to stop victimisations on the tube

What a result! Train drivers and Instructor operators on LU were asked “are you prepared to take strike action over the victimisation of Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas?” 64% of drivers responded with a resounding yes vote on a turnout of nearly 50%
This is a major achievement for the union and shows that drivers across the whole of the combine and in every depot are determined to stop the victimisation of our fellow drivers. Never before has the union escalated an individual case across the whole of the tube network.