Transport for London

“The hypocrisy of TFL managers, who stand to hit the bonus jackpot during the Olympics while offering...staff virtually nothing, stinks like a sack of rotting fish." - Bob Crow

STAFF WORKING directly for Transport for London are to take strike action and action short of a strike over the total and abject failure of the organization to offer any kind of meaningful recognition and reward for the huge increase in workload and pressure arising from the extended Olympics period and for attempting to impose changes to working conditions and a unilateral ban on annual leave in some departments.

After an overwhelming vote for action RMT has instructed members to take industrial action as follows:

Branches are advised that the recent ‘Yes’ vote in the above ballot has now been considered by the General Grades Committee and has made the following decision:-

“In accordance with the wishes of our TfL no.1 branch, we instruct members to take industrial action as follows:

• not to book on for any duties starting after 21:30 on Sunday 1st July 2012, returning to duties starting after 21:30 on Monday 2nd July 2012

"It is a scandal that this group of fellow transport workers have been kicked in the teeth by TFL and the bus companies when it comes to a fair reward for the extra work load generated by the Olympics" - Bob Crow

TUBE AND RAIL UNION RMT warned today of a “massive impact” on services on Friday as millions of passengers try to find alternative means of travel as a result of the bus workers strike for Olympics pay justice.

This morning, Central Line services were again reduced to chaos due to a signal failure at Liverpool Street as the harsh reality that the network can barely cope with routine demand after successive waves of cuts to maintenance and staffing, let alone a surge in passenger numbers from either the bus workers action or the Olympics, was laid bare.

That we note the ballot result is as follows:-

ARE YOU PREPARED TO TAKE STRIKE ACTION?

After TfL rejected the Trades Unions (TUs) request for urgent talks at ACAS, another Special Company Council (SCC) was held on Tuesday 15th May, with TfL and the TUs to discuss the Olympics.

All TUs agree the following:

• They want the Olympics to be a success, and for its transport workers to play a full and rewarding role in delivering a world class spectacle for London.
• That staff in TfL should be paid the same for doing the same job as their colleagues in LU (for current offer, please see separate table). We believe this is only fair.
• That TfL should not – under any circumstances – bully or intimidate staff to “volunteer”. If you feel you are being pressured to do so, please contact your local TU rep immediately.
• That TfL should recognise (as they have done in LU) the huge contribution that “core” staff, who they have banned from volunteering as they are vital to running TfL during the Games will make. Without ALL our hard work, the Games will not be a success.

We note the resolution from LU Engineering branch and the report regarding our ballot of APD Fleet members.

TfL has won an injunction against Addison Lee preventing them from instructing or encouraging their drivers to use bus lanes.

The full text of the injunction is below.

The RMT London Taxi Branch notes the disturbing comments made by Mr John Griffin concerning London Cyclists, This once again demonstrates his complete contempt for other road users.

This statement and his continued instruction to his drivers to flout the law in respect of Bus Lanes calls into question Addison Lee's fitness to hold a Private Hire Operators Licence.

If TfL fail in their attempts to prevent these illegal actions, we will act and invite all trade organisations to join us in that action

The current TfL pay deal ends this April. TfL bosses are yet to respond to RMT's claim for the ongoing year.

The general grades committee has decided the following:

We note with disappointment that despite the current pay settlement for TfL staff expiring on 1 April and RMT having submitted a new claim, TfL management have not yet convened talks to discuss a new pay deal.

We instruct the General Secretary to contact TfL and insist that these talks begin as a matter of urgency. It is not acceptable for the date a pay settlement is due to pass without talks having even started.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that talks at ACAS aimed at resolving the dispute over Olympics recognition and reward for all London Underground staff broke down yesterday, with LUL attempting to use the pretext of the Olympics to attack working conditions and undermine public safety. The company’s ‘offer’ demands changes to Framework Agreements and does not apply to all grades.