Answering Back: Replying to Management's Propaganda Against Our Dispute

Management Say ...

A five-year deal gives us security.

No, it gives us insecurity. It ties us to a set formula regardless of what economic changes lie ahead. It is like committing ourselves to wearing bermuda shorts and flipflops regardless of changeable weather and storms on the way.

The pay rise should be based on RPI: it always has been in the past.

Remember LUL’s ‘Breakout’ campaign? It told us not to be afraid to do things differently if it means doing them better.

LUL/TfL also tell us that we are in unusual economic times. Because of this situation, RPI is no longer a good guide to real inflation: CPI is better.

LUL might be able to cut the jobs without compulsory redundancies.

‘Might’? RMT will not take that risk. LUL does not have enough volunteers for redundancy, despite increasing its pay-off under pressure of RMT’s ballot.

None of us should stand by while our workmates face being forced onto the dole at a time of rising unemployment.

Even if jobs are cut without compulsory redundancies, workload will rise for those remaining and the service to frontline staff and passengers will worsen.

The 1,000 jobs that are going are all posts duplicated in LUL and Metronet.

Not true. Most of them are not.

The job cuts only affect admin grades; there is no threat to operational jobs.

Admin jobs today, operational jobs tomorrow. LUL has already cut service control jobs, and is attacking stations and revenue jobs by refusing to fill vacancies and cutting ticket office posts. Drivers are not safe, as LUL looks for new ways of working that will allow it to reduce the number of drivers it employs.

RMT has not substantiated claims that managers mistreat staff.

Yes we have. We have continually provided management with evidence of exactly how managers are mistreating staff. LUL either defends these actions or sweeps them under the carpet.

In 2008, Employment Tribunals found LUL guilty of unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and race discrimination. LUL should re-examine its management regime rather than snub RMT complaints.

If managers are breaching procedures, then RMT should raise this through the procedures.

We can not have faith in procedures when our complaint is that managers are breaching procedures!

You should be grateful to have a job at all.

We work very hard in difficult conditions. We get up at the crack of dawn or work through the night; we struggle to see our families and friends.

We continually deliver a better service despite all sorts of obstacles. LUL tells us that it is grateful for our efforts – it should not then send duty managers round workplaces telling us that we should be grateful to even have a job!

Yes, other industries have shed jobs. But if we refuse to defend ourselves because of a sense of ‘gratitude’, that will not help workers in those industries one bit.

If your home was robbed, would you refuse to complain because you felt ‘grateful’ that it had not been burned down?!

RMT’s ballot is premature.

Your pay rise was due on 1 April. Our ballot is not premature: it is overdue!

LUL/TfL think it is OK to drag out pay talks for months beyond the deadline, keeping your money in their own coffers.

RMT will not tolerate this way of doing things any more. We tried to get your rise agreed in time for its April due date, but management prevented this.

ASLEF and TSSA are not balloting.

RMT tries to work with other unions when we can, and would welcome ASLEF and TSSA joining this dispute at any time. But we will not hold back from sticking up for our own members because smaller unions don’t feel ready to do so.

LUL/TfL has to save money.

TfL is planning job cuts as part of a £2.4bn cuts package. LUL inherited a £3bn debt from Metronet. The cost of Metronet’s failure should be met by the companies that owned it, not by staff.

TfL/LUL could make some savings by cutting fat-cat salaries and other waste.

But as a public service, the government should give it enough funding to do its job - run a decent transport service with well-motivated and decently-paid staff.