Transport for London, TfL no.1 branch

We note the resolution from LU Engineering branch and the report regarding our ballot of APD Fleet members.

TfL has won an injunction against Addison Lee preventing them from instructing or encouraging their drivers to use bus lanes.

The full text of the injunction is below.

The RMT London Taxi Branch notes the disturbing comments made by Mr John Griffin concerning London Cyclists, This once again demonstrates his complete contempt for other road users.

This statement and his continued instruction to his drivers to flout the law in respect of Bus Lanes calls into question Addison Lee's fitness to hold a Private Hire Operators Licence.

If TfL fail in their attempts to prevent these illegal actions, we will act and invite all trade organisations to join us in that action

The current TfL pay deal ends this April. TfL bosses are yet to respond to RMT's claim for the ongoing year.

The general grades committee has decided the following:

We note with disappointment that despite the current pay settlement for TfL staff expiring on 1 April and RMT having submitted a new claim, TfL management have not yet convened talks to discuss a new pay deal.

We instruct the General Secretary to contact TfL and insist that these talks begin as a matter of urgency. It is not acceptable for the date a pay settlement is due to pass without talks having even started.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that talks at ACAS aimed at resolving the dispute over Olympics recognition and reward for all London Underground staff broke down yesterday, with LUL attempting to use the pretext of the Olympics to attack working conditions and undermine public safety. The company’s ‘offer’ demands changes to Framework Agreements and does not apply to all grades.

The RMT Executive through the General Grades Committee has issued the following statement and poster for notice boards to reiterate and clarify the RMT's position on members entitlements for the Olympic period.

“We reiterate our stance that all grades of transport employees are entitled to a decent financial reward for their efforts transporting huge numbers of passengers during the Olympics and are entitled to take leave during the summer, and that working conditions and important agreements should not and need not be attacked in order to facilitate Olympic running.”

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We further note that our members on TfL are highly dissatisfied with the way that the employer is treating them, with both a lack of adequate financial reward and unacceptable changes to working conditions.

We instruct the General Secretary to immediately organise a ballot in line with our previous decision of 23 February 2012, to send a personal letter by post to all members, and to assist the branch and representatives in campaigning for the maximum turnout and 'yes' vote.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the documentation on file regarding TfL’s proposal to divide its Equality and Inclusion team into two parts, one for staff issues and one for service delivery. We endorse the objections that staff side have raised to this proposal. We further believe that this division inaccurately implies a significant difference between equalities issues facing workers and those facing passengers, whereas workers and passengers share similar a interest in an accessible, non-discriminatory transport system.

RMT to ballot for action on TFL over Olympics ban on staff leave and declares dispute with London Underground over Olympics payments

TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed today that it is to ballot for industrial action on TFL over a ban on staff leave for the duration of the Olympics and has also declared a formal dispute with London Underground over a failure to reach an agreement on Olympics recognition and reward payments for all LU staff.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from our TfL no.1 branch, and are appalled that this employer intends to severely restrict annual leave over the Olympic period, including banning annual leave during the Games altogether in at least one department. This will make life very difficult, if not impossible, for many of our members, for example those with school-age children. We are similarly appalled at TfL’s totally inadequate financial offer to our members, consisting solely of a £15 payment if a shift is changed.

London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard would like to invite TfL's LGBT group members to an event we are holding to celebrate our 38th birthday, and to announce how we are expanding our services this year.

Please come and enjoy drinks, nibbles and a chance to meet some of our volunteers, celebrity patrons, and supporters at our building near Angel from 6.30pm to 9pm on March 6th, with short speeches from our patrons at 7pm.

Click read more for an overview of all completed and on going Olympic offers at TfL.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the legal advice received regarding this matter that states ‘that there is no legal course of action regarding this matter.’

London Transport Regional Council and Branches with London Underground members to be advised.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the report from our Lead Officer and the correspondence from Transport For London on file.

RAIL UNION RMT warned today that the Government could be preparing an action replay of the Thameslink stitch-up of Bombardier over the Crossrail contract as it emerged that Transport Secretary Justine Greening has sabotaged a plan that would have potentially saved train building in the nation that gave the railways to the world.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: “Despite the long public row over the Thameslink stitch- up, and the threat to over 10,000 jobs at Bombardier in Derby and in the supply chain, reports today suggest that the Government are planning an action replay over Crossrail in a move that would kill UK train building once and for all.

Once again, the Morning Star must appeal to its backbone and its lifeblood, the readers who own, support and underwrite the paper - in short, you.

And if you do not respond, and soon, there may well not be a paper to support.

It has been an eventful and in many ways successful four or five years for the Morning Star.

In that period, we have gained formal support and a presence on our board of management from a solid majority of the organised trade union movement - a first that has astonished - and gratified - people throughout the labour movement.