Circulars from RMT head office about issues in our region
INTRODUCTION OF AGENCY TRAINERS, FLEET – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/13/2)
RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/0001)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/332/14, 15th December 2014), members will recall that we included a claim for a 4 day, 32 hour week and equal travel facilities for all London Underground staff in our submission to the Company. A series of meetings have now taken place and the following offer has been made:-
Year One
A 0.75% increase, effective from 1st April 2015.
Year Two
An increase of RPI in 2016
RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – KEOLIS AMEY DOCKLANDS (DLR/0001/KAD)
In line with Union policy, a claim was submitted for a substantial increase in rates of pay and improvements to conditions of service. Following discussions with the Company, a report was received from the Lead Officer, along with further correspondence from the Branch Secretary, advising that the Company had failed to table an offer in line with our members’ aspirations.
RAINBOW ATTENDANCE POLICY – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/5/9)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/120/13, 21st February 2013), the Attendance, Performance and Conduct (APC) working group met to discuss this matter where RMT confirmed that we remain opposed to this policy and LUL’s use and abuse of its attendance policy more generally. The following resolution has recently been received from our Piccadilly & District West Branch in respect of this matter:-
Referring to my previous Circular (IR/061/15, 2nd March 2015), Branches will recall that a resolution was received from our LU Engineering Branch advising that Tube Lines were imposing changes to our members’ terms and conditions. The General Grades Committee has considered this resolution and instructed me to write to Tube Lines to demand that these arrangements are not imposed and to conduct a referendum of the affected members with a recommendation to reject the proposals. The changes referred to are as follows:-
EVERY JOB MATTERS – DEFENDING JOBS ON LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/5)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/70/15, 12th March 2015), the meeting of Reps and Activists to discuss the possibility of further industrial action on London Underground in relations to defending jobs, services and conditions took place on Monday 16th March.
A resolution was recently received from Jubilee South Branch regarding the above and this matter has been considered by the General Grades Committee, which has taken the decision to investigate the use of “disguised employees” by Interserve and other companies in TfL/LUL (reference LUL Engineers Charter and article by GS in January RMT News ‘Fighting Casualisation’) and to produce a report on this worrying pract
Further to my previous Circular (IR/332/14, 15th December 2014), Central Line East Branch and Camden 3 Branch submitted correspondence over the Company’s refusal to honour its transfer procedure for station staff. It is alleged that the Company is refusing to fill vacancies and instead are covering duties with new-recruit staff on fixed-term contracts on an over-establishment basis.
The Lead Officer has written to the Company regarding this matter and it is listed on the agenda for the next Stations Functional Council meeting. I will keep you informed of all further developments.
BREAKDOWN OF INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – INTERSERVE (LUL CONTRACT) (LUL/14/2)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/303/14, 17th November 2014), members will recall that we advised the Company that a dispute situation existed over the mistreatment of staff and abuse of power by supervisors and management, non-payment of wages, and attacks on trade union reps and activists. The RMT Reps then commenced the task of checking and updating member’s details as necessary for a ballot for industrial action.
Further to my previous Circular (IR/061/15, 2nd March 2015), the Company has been informed that a dispute situation now exists over the proposed changes to the Services organisation as part of the GTS Optimisation Programme. The proposals include compulsory redundancies and those members left at the Company will be facing worse rosters, shift patterns and terms and conditions. RMT put forward strong counter-proposals during discussions but it is clear that the Company has no intention of changing their plans.