Bakerloo branch

TUBE UNION RMT today demanded an independent investigation into London Underground maintenance and staffing cuts after photographic evidence emerged suggesting that the train that hit the buckled lining on the Bakerloo Line in Thursday mornings rush hour came within inches of being ripped open like a sardine can with potentially lethal consequences.

Click on the attachment to see the latest edition of Bakerloo News.

Main stories follow:

Management renege on 2008 Silverlink deal

Following a dispute by station staff on the Wembley Central Group in 2007/2008 involving a number of days of solid strike action, management moved from no station supervisors at the smaller stations to agreeing to phase out agency staff, have station supervisors on all stations during traffic hours and end the practise of security guards opening and closing stations. Although this did not satisfy our demands that the Ex-silverlink stations should be in line with LUL staffing it was a huge move from no staffing. Management now want to tear up that agreement on traffic hours Supervision.

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.

Click on the attachment to see the January 2012 edition of Bakerloo News.

Main stories follow:

Back To Work

Towards the end of last year the RMT won stunning victories for our members on the Bakerloo line. CSAs Paul McCulleough and Neil Turley were re-instated after getting the sack and T/op Jayesh Patel was restored to his job after being dipped to stations. Anyone who followed these stories will have been well aware that all three cases were terrible injustices. Paul and Neil were suspended after unsubstantiated allegations were made about them after a drink in a pub in Queens Park. After nine months waiting to find out their fate both men were sacked after a CDI in August.

The Bakerloo Branch has commissioned this badge to commemorate our campaigns for JUSTICE last year. The badges will be ready and distributed to members across the combine in a few weeks.

Members are aware that the image of Arwyn and Eamonn is iconic and symbolises the victimisation disputes last year. Off the back of that campaign about another 10 members jobs across the combine were saved as LU backed off. As the badge says "solidarity wins!"

The Bakerloo Branch agreed the following resolution at its Annual General Meeting:

“This branch notes that the London Mayoral election is next year on Thursday May 3rd 2012. We believe that the re-election of Boris Johnson would be a disaster for London and unthinkable for our members.

This branch further believes that the only candidate capable of ousting Johnson is Labour’s candidate Ken Livingstone.

Click on the attachment to download a poster advertising the Bakerloo Branch AGM and social.

Put it in your diary and get your rest days organised, the Bakerloo Branch AGM and social is on Monday 5th of December upstairs in the Red Lion at 16:00 hours. The Red Lion is on Kingly Street near Oxford Circus tube station.

The AGM will elect all branch officers and reps. RMT General Secretary, Bob Crow is our guest speaker.

Victimised Bakerloo Branch station activists Paul McCulleough and Neil Turley were yesterday informed that they have both been reinstated on appeal.

Both activists were sacked in August following trumped up charges. The Bakerloo Branch is pleased to report that justice has been acheived for our members.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that Jayesh Patel has accepted reinstatement to his substantive role as a train driver from February 2012. We note that this is a huge reduction in the sanction initially imposed on him by London Underground.

We also note that London Underground has agreed to reinstate James Masango, but that the terms of this reinstatement are still under discussion.