Defending jobs

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It has been raised by the RMT Union that handing over the control of signalling equipment or control to an unqualified member of staff who doesn’t have the right paperwork, knowledge or regular work of signalling in that area can put the safety of the railway in jeopardy!

RMT is organising to recruit more members who work as Cleaners and Canteen staff. We have a ballot coming up for ISS cleaners who's pay and benefits are woefully low for the hard work they do. At Sodexho the RMT is working hard to get recognition for the RMT,

This all depends on getting as many people signed up as possible. Remember cleaners and canteen staff can currently join the RMT for £1 a week.

London Underground has finally supplied RMT with projected figures for Hammersmith SCC. These figures confirm a 50% cut for all Service Operators and Service Controllers Level 1 & 2, which will now all be rebranded to Area Controllers and Regional Controllers. All staff will have to apply for positions in the new control room, that includes management!

Click 'read more' to see the April edition of SC News, or download it below and distribute amongst your colleagues.

We welcome the correspondence from ASLEF and TSSA agreeing to seek a joint approach to protecting London Underground staffing levels for the duration of the current pay settlement. We instruct the General Secretary to arrange an early meeting with ASLEF and TSSA on this matter, and to press Unite for a response. This issue to be placed back in front of us with a report of this meeting, and in the event of any other development.

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

RMT COMMENT ON POLL SHOWING FEAR OF VIOLENCE ON LONDON TRANSPORT

Today, the End Violence Against Women coalition has published the results of a YouGov survey showing that 28% of women and 15% of men do not feel safe travelling on London transport at all times of the day and night.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd, which fails to give the assurances that this union asked for, that current staffing establishment levels are protected and maintained over at least the period of the current pay deal. Instead, LUL has offered only vague phrase-mongering about “continuity of employment”, and made even this conditional on “common sense flexibility and cooperation to adapt to reasonable changes”. Experience tells us that this indicates LUL’s intention to cut staffing levels and attack working conditions.

RMT calls Budget “Day of Action” over rail carve up and slams train operators for using increased rail demand as excuse for higher fares

RAIL UNION RMT announced today it is holding a Budget “Day of Action” over Government plans to axe thousands of jobs, close ticket offices, jack up fares and give the train operating companies “gold plated” franchises as it implements the McNulty Rail Review recommendations.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch. We agree with our branch that staffing levels on London Underground stations are deplorably low, and that there is a specific problem with gateline staffing at Wood Green station. We note that negotiations have failed to resolve this matter, and that the branch now wishes to ballot members on Arnos Grove group of stations for action short of strikes with a view to calling an overtime ban.

ON THE EVE of the expected publication of a Government Command Paper on their future plans for rail, RMT has warned that Ministers are preparing to wind back the clock to the days of the Hatfield and Potters Bar disasters and bring in private ownership of rail infrastructure for the first time since the collapse of Railtrack.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note with great concern the report from our Regional Organiser and representatives that London Underground has imposed a change to the rules and procedures for station access, removing responsibility and control from Station Supervisors for allowing access for people working on stations.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from London Underground following the meeting at which RMT made our objections to the planned reduction in frequency of tripcock testing.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our London Transport Regional Council and share its determination to protect members’ jobs and London Underground staffing levels. London Underground has already cut staffing levels to dangerously low levels, and should be considering increasing rather than further cutting them.

We instruct the General Secretary to ensure that the points outlined in the resolution have been raised with London Underground, and to place a report in front of us of the company’s response.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from our Bakerloo branch, and the report now received from our lead officer on talks with London Underground about the use of agency and security staff, at which our representatives pressed the company to replace the use of agency staff and security guards with permanent, directly-employed jobs on LU’s ex-Silverlink stations.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that London Underground intends to count partially-trained Incident Customer Service Assistants towards minimum staffing numbers on stations, despite the fact that these ICSAs are not fully trained and qualified in the Customer Service Assistant (CSA) role, and are in fact not station staff at all, but staff in other (mainly administration) grades given a brief training course to carry out additional duties on stations.