Defending and improving conditions

I am pleased to advise branches that following further discussions with the company, the GGC has accepted the latest proposal from Tube Lines to resolve this dispute. The details of the agreement are below: -

• All staff will be rostered to work a 35 hour week consisting of 5 consecutive shifts (either Sunday – Thursday or Monday to Friday) with 2 consecutive day off.
• The 10 days on 4 off roster will be removed from the Contract of Employment.
• Annual Leave days will be 37 days per annum.
  

TUBE UNION RMT today slammed cleaning contractor ISS for sacking at least one tube cleaner – and sending home many more workers without pay today – for following a union instruction not to book on for shifts using Biometric Fingerprinting Machines.

The agency cleaner was sacked after refusing to use the biometric system to sign on for work at Heathrow Terminal 4 this morning.

ACTION SUSPENDED

WITHDRAWAL OF REST DAYS - TUBE LINES – JUBILEE LINE

As you know, members voted in favour of industrial action over the withdrawal of rest days by Tube Lines management on the Jubilee Line Permanent Way. Members were instructed to take industrial action short of a strike in the form of taking official meal breaks whilst on duties from Midnight tonight.

I write to advise you that your General Grades Committee has considered the ballot result and has decided to call members to take industrial action over the company’s disgraceful withdrawal of your rest days. We believe it is totally unacceptable for the company to deny you properly rostered quality time off away from work.

With effect from 00.01 hours Tuesday 8th July 2014, until further notice you are instructed:

• To comply with Health and Safety requirements and take your official meal breaks whilst on duty.

The 'Special Working Arrangement Guidelines' were verified at Trains Functional Council on 20th May 2014

RMT members working for Tube Lines in the Permanent Way Department (track) on the Jubilee Line are being balloted for both strike action and action short of a strike from today in a dispute over the withdrawal of rest days, the union confirmed this morning.

The dispute, which has massive implications for the Jubilee Line services, is over an all-out attack by the management on properly rostered and agreed time off away from work. The removal of rest days would wreck the work/life balance of staff and effectively leave them at the beck and call of their managers.

This is the RMT’s updated version of the charter for London Underground train drivers. It lists our key demands and ‘lines in the sand’ – issues which we see as crucial to achieve or defend for those members working in the grade of train driver. Several of these issues are also essential for other London Underground grades and transport workers in all industries.

The charter had an official launch with Acting General Secretary Mick Cash, Trains Functional Rep Dean O'Hanlon, London Transport Executive member Brian Munro and Executive member Del Marr all speaking at the event.

PROPOSED TRANSFER OF THE TRAINING DESIGN AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DELIVERY ACTIVITIES FROM LUL TO TFL (LUL/15/10)

Correspondence was received from London Underground concerning a proposal to transfer part of the Training Design and Operations Management Delivery activities from the Chief Operating Office (COO) to two departments in TfL namely Learning Development within HR and Marketing Services within TfL Marketing.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CLEANERS – TRANSPORT FOR LONDON CONTRACTS (LUL/14/2)

A resolution was received from our LU Engineering branch concerning our cleaning grade members working on London Underground. It raised a number of issues affecting the whole grade such as the following

• Free Travel
• Sick Pay
• Zero Hours Contracts
• The use of immigration laws and fingerprinting to intimidate members.

WITHDRAWAL OF REST DAYS – JUBILEE LINE – TUBE LINES (LUL/8/6)

We have entered into dispute with Tube Lines after they took away the rest days of our Jubilee Line Permanent Way members. We believe it is totally unacceptable to remove our members’ right to proper rostered agreed quality time off away from work. The union has therefore entered into dispute with the company and ballot papers will be sent to members later this week with a closing date of Thursday 19th June 2014.