RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that London Underground has written to us announcing that it has completed a 'command and control review' which is to include ‘co-location’ of network control functions into one LU Control Centre, which we suspect may involve the forced relocation of staff. It has done this without any consultation with this union, and now has the cheek to offer only 'consultation' about the 'impact on staff' of these changes.

We note that this appears to affect staff in LU service control, Powerlink and Thales.

We further note that there is no evidence that LU has carried out an Equality Impact Assessment of this policy, despite being legally obliged to do so, and despite giving assurances during the ACAS review of the OSP that it would do so in future.

We instruct the General Secretary to:
• obtain from LU the full details of the 'command and control review'
• convene a meeting of our representatives in the functions and companies affected (LU service control, Powerlink and Thales) to discuss this issue and place a report of this meeting in front of us
• ensure that this union fully represents and promotes our members' interests during any consultation
• ascertain from London Underground whether it has carried out an EqIA; if so, obtain a copy of the EqIA; if not, pursue legal options to stop the policy from progressing.
• write to all members in LU service control, Powerlink and Thales outlining this issue.

We further believe that this is part of an approach by London Underground in which it devises policy changes behind closed doors, without consulting the unions, then presents them to us as a fait accompli, offering to consult only on the 'impact on staff'. LU has done this with several issues over recent times. We firmly believe that employers should consult and negotiate with trade union on the policy changes themselves, not just on what the employer deems to be the impact on staff.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to pursue the issue of lack of consultation/negotiation with unions on policy changes by:
• ensuring that this issue is tabled for discussion at the next meeting of LU Company Council
• contacting the other London Underground trade unions with a view to taking a united approach on this issue
• raising this issue in the independent review of industrial disputes on London Underground that was agreed in May
• compiling a list of policy changes on which LU has failed to consult or negotiate
• obtaining a legal opinion as to whether LU's actions comply with the law and with ACAS guidelines
• creating a new file entitled 'Failure to consult/negotiate on policy changes - London Underground'

Reports and developments to be placed back in front of us.

London Transport Regional Council and branches with London Underground members to be advised.