London Underground Ltd

CUTS COST LIVES ... STAFF SAVE LIVES

RMT has warned that London Underground was planning to plunge the tube system into the same lethal cocktail of safety cuts and automation that led to nine people being killed on the Washington DC Red Line service in 2009.

• In June 2009, a rush-hour crash on the Washington DC metro killed nine people, including the operator. It was caused by failure of the automated system, and the Washington Post called it “the price of parsimony” after numerous near-misses went unheeded against a background of cuts to maintenance
  schedules and inspections.

They say: New technology means that London Underground needs fewer staff.

We say: New technology can improve London Underground if it is used alongside staff, not instead of us. But LUL is developing technology specifically for the purpose of getting rid of jobs - this is the rationale behind driverless trains or 'wave and pay'. LUL should develop different technology that works effectively with staff to improve the service.

Current plans for technology will worsen the service, increase unemployment and are a waste of public money.

Thirty-three agency staff working on London Underground, some for as long as five years, were told just before Christmas that the contract with their agency, Trainpeople, had been ended, and that they would lose their jobs in January.

The workers had joined RMT and campaigned successfully for equal pay with permanent staff, but the contract was then terminated without warning and London Underground told them that applications for direct employment would not be considered, making a mockery of Agency Worker Regulations that are supposed to protect their rights.

We note the responses on file from our admin grade members, who are dissatisfied with LUL’s implementation of its Olympic reward policy. We further note that there is no copy on file of the letter to LUL instructed by our decision of 12 December 2012, and instruct the General Secretary to place in front of us this letter and any reply received.

Further to our previous decision on this issue, we note that discussions with management have taken place and that although there has been some movement, there is still no satisfactory outcome. We remain in dispute and instruct the General Secretary to ballot our members in line with our previous decision. We welcome the co-operation established with ASLEF on this issue and aim to ballot to the same timetable. Reports and developments are to be placed in front of us.

That we note the result of the ballot for strikes is as follows:-

Total Votes Cast - 17
Number Voting ‘Yes’ - 17
Number Voting ‘No’ - 0
Spoilt Papers - 0

We congratulate our members on their willingness to take action and for their tireless campaigning alongside their many supporters. We instruct the General Secretary to continue to support campaigning events organised by our Bakerloo branch, and to obtain and place in front of us a report on appropriate industrial action following the branch's next meeting on Monday 4 February.

TUBE UNION RMT said today that in a ballot of staff working on London Underground’s “Trainpeople” agency contract members have voted unanimously for strike action over the termination of a deal which will dump dozens of staff on the dole and which makes a mockery of regulations which were supposed to protect the employment rights of agency staff.

You can download the newsletter below

FIGHT AGAINST JOB CUTS

Members should already be in receipt of the broadsheet, "We Can Stop Job Cuts". This outlines how we lost over 800 jobs between March 2011 & March 2012, while passenger numbers have soared to record levels. The Broadsheet details all the arguments of our Union to maintain a fully staffed, publicly owned and integrated transport system.

Unfortunately those who run Government, in London and nationally, and their highly paid bosses at London Underground are not moved by rational arguments. A fully staffed underground system would offer the World Class service that Londoners expect.

The stations safety council have issued this guidance for members working in snow conditions following their December meeting. Any member reading this who wants further advice, please speak with a local rep or contact the trains safety council.

The original bulletin and a pro forma is attached below.

Winter weather/snow clearance