LUL Trains

We note the report from our LT Regional Council train grades committee. We welcome the committee’s organising efforts, and instruct the General Secretary to offer assistance and resources.

We note the comments concerning which grades may be used to test driverless trains. We instruct the General Secretary to obtain a further, detailed report on this, and to ensure that membership data for all LUL train grades is accurate and up-to-date should we need to hold a ballot for industrial action.

Northern Line Training Latest from Trains Health And Safety Council

Local Reps met with Trains Health and Safety Council and Trains Functional Council representatives and RMT Head Office to formulate RMT concerns over training and delivery of any agreed training.

Training Course: That initial feedback be received in a positive manner to help improve and tailor the course to meet t/ops needs.

Scheduled for Tuesday 2nd Oct....... Update ASAP

Practical Training:

From Trains Functional Council

Just to update everyone on the Northern Line about what is happening regarding the training and i/o’s, there are lots of rumours regarding the working practice that may be asked of the i/o’s during TBTC training and the testing of TBTC area when it goes live at west finchley next february.

The RMT’s postion is clear on this, all IO’s must not be asked to breach their framework agreement in anyway
to facilitate this training.

“RMT reiterates this union's complete opposition to driverless trains. Every train must have a driver, to ensure the safe and effective running of the Underground." - Bob Crow

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it is to ballot for strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over plans to rip up the safety rule book and begin the testing of driverless trains on London Underground.

Initially, RMT will be balloting all members who are test train drivers but the union has also made it clear that it will be looking at which other grades may be called upon to test-drive units with a view to balloting those staff as well.

We note the resolution from our LU Fleet branch, and reiterate this union's complete opposition to driverless trains. Every train must have a driver, to ensure the safe and effective running of the Underground. Plans to scrap drivers or reduce their driving duties are risking safety, services and jobs, motivated by saving money and undermining trade unionism.

We instruct the General Secretary to:

We note that this document adds further evidence to support our belief that London Underground is planning a wholesale attack on jobs and conditions, under the pretext of new technology such as driverless trains, smartcard ticketing and automated maintenance. We reaffirm this union’s view that new technology should be used to complement staff, improve services and increase safety – not as a pretext for cutting staff and cutting corners.

It appears that LUL have now decided that they will choose who can and can not be a local rep. Management have refused to recognise Industrial Relations rep Jason Moriarty. An email was sent to Management at Stratford from Employee relations stating "I am of the view that he can not be rep again" and "There is no recognition rights for RMT at north Greenwich."

This is of course nonsense as there has been an RMT IR rep at North Greenwich since it opened and the collective bargaining agreement is very clear about who can be a rep.

As part of the Operational Effectiveness programme LUL have introduced a number of changes to Rules. These changes were discussed through the machinery until finally being exhausted at Safety Forum level. LUL chose to push through the majority of these changes.

These Rules were introduced as OSN101 in September 2011 in a booklet titled ‘Getting ready for the Olympics’. Among these changes was an instruction which allows for a Train Operator to set their train back by one car or less after a platform overrun or in the event of a SPAD.

As part of the Operational Effectiveness programme LUL introduced a number of changes to Rules. These changes were discussed through the machinery until finally being exhausted at Safety Forum level. LUL chose to push through the majority of these changes.

These Rules were introduced as OSN101 in September 2011 in a booklet titled ‘Getting ready for the Olympics’. One of these is a change to Rulebook 8 Section 2.1 which determines how a platform is given an ‘A’ Category.