News, reports and information for RMT members who work for London Underground Ltd
Click on the attachment to download the December edition of Monthly News.
In this edition:
VICTIMISED FOR BEING A GOOD REP? - Green Park rep, Peter Hartshorn, is the latest activist to face a company stitch-up;
FOURTH STRIKE IS STRONGLY SUPPORTED - area roundup.
RMT's General Grades Committee has today taken the following decision:
That we note the views of our representatives freely expressed at the meeting on 20th December in the Indian YMCA Hall.
We further note the report from our Regional Organiser.
The General Secretary is instructed to liaise with our sister union and make clear to our members and LU Management that unless real progress is achieved on this issue we may name further days of industrial action in support of a safe working system and in defence of jobs.
The General Secretary is further instructed to continue our campaign in the media and by other means to highlight the increasing risks to safety created by understaffing and at time non-staffing on stations and other jobs on the system.
Earlier this week, RMT's Council of Executives agreed to make dispute payments to members in the event of further strike action in the LU Job Cuts dispute.
Click '1 attachment' / file name to download a poster supporting both our campaign against job cuts and students' campaign against fees and cuts. The poster highlights Nick Clegg's pre-election pledge to vote against fee rises and Boris Johnson's pre-election pledge to oppose ticket office cuts and closures, and lists several ways in which people can support the campaigns.
London Underground has refused RMT's offer of binding arbitration on the issue of how the company decides whether a ticket office should be open. Currently, LU has a ticket office open at times when it sells more than 15 tickets per hour. This is already higher than the rail industry standard, and the London TravelWatch recommended figure, of 12 ticekts per hour - LU plans to double the criterion to 30 tickets per hour. Astonishingly, LU seems to believe that a ticket office selling 29 tickets in an hour - as well as resolving ticket problems, giving information and helping customers in other ways - is not busy enough to warrant staying open.
From Bob Crow, General Secretary
Firstly I would like to congratulate all London Underground members for the solid strike action that recently took place on 29th and 30th November. Management are under no illusion of the strength of feeling over these dangerous and unnecessary cuts.
Over the course of the last week, the General Grades Committee has met twice to discuss the current dispute with London Underground over their dangerous plans for job cuts and the following decision was taken: -
Transport For London's commissioner Peter Hendy was recently interviewed by Dave Hill for The Guardian.
In the interview Hendy says that TFL will be facing cuts in its budget of 21% over the next few years. Future job losses are discussed with Hendy foreseeing that "The other thing you take a hit on is the cost of running the place. We will be doing less in some areas, so we will need less people to do it"
Steve Hedley Tube strike thanks everyone who complained
got a right to reply on london tonight about 12 minutes in still not great but better than before http://www.itv.com/london/fullprogramme/?intcmp=NAV_LONDONTO0_FULLPROG3 Full Programme Repeat | London Tonight - ITV Local www.itv.com Watch Full Programme Repeat of London Tonight (ITV London). Includes Regional News and Weather for London from London Tonight - ITV Local
Steve Hedley Tube strike thanks everyone who complained
got a right to reply on london tonight about 12 minutes in still not great but better than before http://www.itv.com/london/fullprogramme/?intcmp=NAV_LONDONTO0_FULLPROG3 Full Programme Repeat | London Tonight - ITV Local www.itv.com Watch Full Programme Repeat of London Tonight (ITV London). Includes Regional News and Weather for London from London Tonight - ITV Local
Click on the attachment below to read the November edition of Monthly News.
RMT reps have been back at ACAS over the last couple of days, following on from Wednesday's solid strike. ACAS continues to host a review of London Underground's job-cutting plans.
Now, health and safety reps are working on specific scenarios comparing how safety standards would be maintained comparing current staffing levels with the proposed, lower levels. Meanwhile, stations reps have compiled a report that shows that LU figures used to justify ticket office cuts are inaccurate and that therefore the numbers should be revised.
The review will continue on Tuesday.