London Underground Ltd

We note and adopt the report of our Southern Sub-committee.

We welcome the resolution from our Jubilee South branch, and support its proposals. We therefore instruct the General secretary to:

1. Organise a public meeting in defence of London Underground jobs, preferably in conjunction with Action for Rail, and involving disability access to transport pressure groups such as Transport for All, and supportive MPs and GLA members.

• Re-grading of waterloo & city line service control staff – london underground.

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd dated 15 November 2013. We instruct the General Secretary to reply, pointing out that our ballot is for action short of strike action, not for strike action as stated in the letter, and that our lead officer will attend the suggested meeting at a mutually-convenient time.

A report of this meeting is to be placed in front of us. London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd dated 13 November 2013, advising that the company is to reveal its ‘Stations Operating Model’ and formally launch consultation on the morning of 21 November 2013.

Tube union RMT confirmed today that ballot papers have been despatched to London Underground member’s in a strike vote of all staff over LU’s use of agency staff and the casualisation and downgrading of existing jobs across the network.

RMT is certain that part of the hidden cuts package being drawn up in secret by LU chiefs includes a specific programme to extend and expand the use of casualised, agency staff into all possible areas of the tube network on a rolling basis.

• A meeting has taken place at GS level with ASLEF, TSSA, Unite and the TUC where agreement was reached to hold a joint campaign against the cuts.
• It was agreed that the joint campaign would be facilitated through the existing joint rail union Action for Rail Campaign which is coordinated by the TUC and South East TUC.
• Other organisations have come on aboard to support the campaign including the National pensioners Convention, Disabled People against the Cuts and Transport for All.
  

Transport For All; the charity campaigning for a fully accessible, reliable and affordable transport network for disabled and older Londoners has written to the Evening Standard describing the horror that disabled and older passengers will feel over tube bosses plans to cut staff.

Transport For All describe it as living in la-la-land to think cctv and ticket machines is a suitable alternative to station staff for the 43% of wheelchair users who have suffered hate crime on the tube, or the 29% of disabled people who feel unsafe using the underground.

The Letter

LU is set to announce cuts in station staffing. RMT will fight to maintain 24/7 Supervisor cover for every station. We will oppose further cuts in Ticket office availablity.

Also: Rainbow seems to be returning to many groups with members called in to account for past sickness. read the latest advice here.

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Rail union RMT said today that it is stepping up the campaign against attempts by agencies, notably Trainpeople, to force their way into the rail industry with the express intent of profiteering at the expense of jobs, security and decent pay and conditions.

RMT branches in Wales have alerted the union to the fact that there is a new drive by Trainpeople to try and get a foot in the door through an aggressive marketing approach to railway employers. The union has pledged again to fight off any attempts by Trainpeople, or similar agencies, to downgrade and casualise rail jobs.

London Underground Boss Mike Brown has spoken to the Greater London Authority Transport Commitee About plans for cuts at London Underground.

The details are rather vague, but it would appear that changes to staffing will be announced within a month or so, followed by a 90 day consultation period.

You can watch the video here.
You can read full transcript of Mike Brown's submission here.

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd, advising that it plans to recruit Train Operators from "the open market" and the Military Redeployment Agency.

We reject LUL's assertion that "the agreed internal processes have been exhausted without success". We believe that the implication that internal applicants, primarily Customer Service Assistants, are not good enough to become drivers is inaccurate and insulting. There are very few promotional opportunities for CSAs; this move further reduces those opportunities.