Moving the goalposts?

A few years ago LUL introduced a performance bonus for operational staff. It wasn't something the RMT asked for, or were happy about. As a Union we believe that all earnings should be consolidated, i.e. included in the salary so that it is pensionable and goes up with inflation. However, LUL wanted a system that rewarded “good performance” so decided to pay us extra if we met certain targets. Sometimes we met them and sometimes we didn't – but at least it was possible to meet them.

But maybe LUL are fed up with us getting these bonuses as they've decided to change the criteria for meeting the targets. As of this month we stand to lose our bonus if the Lost Customer Hours (LCH) rises above a certain level; and the level seems to have been decided completely arbitrarily. Over a year, if we lose more than 18.8 million customer hours, we lose the bonus. This works out at 1,446,152 LCH per 4 week period. That sounds like an awful lot doesn't it? Well, actually it isn't. LUL works out LCH by multiplying the estimated numbers of passengers on a train at a certain time of day by the number of minutes lost – it soon stacks up.

LCH include delays caused by signal failures, derailed engineering trains, one-unders, overrunning of engineering work, no train available, closed stations and other incidents over which train drivers have no control. So far this month (we’re only half way through week 3) we've reached 1,386,750 LCH so it will be virtually impossible to meet the target. It’s as if LUL managers are sticking 2 fingers up at us: they’re offering a below inflation wage “increase”; they’re trying to bring in Night Tube without proper negotiation; and now they’re moving the goalposts to stop us getting the measly £500 (before tax) bonus.

The austerity measures imposed on LUL by Mayor Johnson have so far had a significantly greater effect on stations rather than trains, but it looks like this is now changing. Make no mistake, LUL management have got train drivers in their sights and are taking aim. Please support your Union; together we can stop these attacks.