London Underground Ltd

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News, reports and information for RMT members who work for London Underground Ltd

Concern That LUL Use Upgrades To Bypass Negotiation

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, attaching a report from our LU Trains Upgrades representatives.

We and our LU trains representatives are concerned that London Underground Ltd may be using the Upgrades set-up to bypass the established Machinery of Negotiation and Consultation. It is not acceptable to us for the employer to discuss all matters concerning the upgrades of three lines with one Upgrades rep to the exclusion of local representatives.

RMT & ASLEF Joint Action For Passenger Safety

We note that further discussions have taken place to arrange synchronisation with ASLEF for the Bakerloo line action. We therefore instruct the General Secretary to cancel our industrial action on the Bakerloo line only starting at 00:01 on Thursday 10 January and to begin the action instead at 00:01 on Tuesday 15 January. The industrial action remains the same as in our previous instruction and is to run until further notice; and the timing of the industrial action on the Central line remains unchanged.

Blog: 150 Year's Of London Underground

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the first London Underground line. The first line opened on January 10 1863, between Paddington and Farringdon as envisaged by Charles Pearsen. Briefly an MP for Lambeth, Peasons proposal was "to facilitate the improvement of the social conditions of City workers by enabling them to commute into London on cheap trains from new residential developments of good quality, cheap homes built outside the capital."

Disruption At Oxford Circus As Plaster Falls From Ceiling

Central Lines trains were non stopping at Oxford Circus Station this Monday as plaster fell from the ceiling. Fortunately nobody was hurt but disruption lasted over an hour during the morning peak.

RMT's general Secretary Bob Crow said "RMT has warned repeatedly about the impact of maintenance cuts and specifically the widening of schedules from a 14-day to a 28-day cycle."

This comes on the same day as a Central Line train was taken out of service having over run a platform due to a suspected brake fault.

Video: Demo - Justice For The 33

"I'm not begging, I just want to work"

On December 19, 2012, all 33 Trainpeople agency staff working from Wembley Central were informed that that their contract with London Underground would be terminated on January 16, 2013 and that their applications for permanent positions would not be considered despite having worked in these roles for up to five years.

Read more to see the video.

Sack the agency, not the workers. Justice for the 33!

The ruthless and callous sacking of 33 RMTagency memebrs just before Xmas has stirred some very raw emotions among ordinary rank and file memebrs.
There is a demo on Mon Jan 7.1300hrs at Wembley Central station
Badges, placards, banners and T shirts are all being made, it looks like Monday could be a noisy and vibrant demo
Make sure you are part of it
Badges will be available for all

Tube Drivers Take Action For Passengers Safety

Bakerloo and Central line drivers to take action over “detrainment” carriage checking

Following a substantial ballot in favour of taking industrial action over London Underground’s removal of detrainment staff, leaving Bakerloo and Central Line drivers to take trains into depots and sidings without staff on hand physically checking that all passengers are off the train, tube union RMT has agreed to call the following industrial action short of a strike:-

LUL: Employ Trainpeople's Workers

Join the RMT demonstration, 1300, Monday 7th January, Wembley Central Station.

LU must employ Trainpeople Agency workers permanently! Dump the agency, employ the workers!
Bring flags, banners, etc. LU must be forced to take notice of LU and agency staff working together for justice.

Background
LU inherited a contract with the Trainpeople agency from Silverlink in 2007. In breach of agreements with unions, for five years LU continued to use agency staff in LU uniforms to meet their staffing needs while Trainpeople paid them as little as £6.75 per hour.

Agency workers betrayed

On Wednesday19th December all 33 agency staff working on the Wembley Central group received an early Christmas present. They were informed by the company they work for, Trainspeople, that their contract with London Underground would be terminated on the 16th January and there would be no more work for them on stations after that. That’s just four weeks for people to find new jobs over the Christmas period. Some of these guys had worked on stations for over five years.