From RMT General Secretary, Bob Crow

Dear Colleague,

LUL: Rates of Pay & Conditions of Service 2009, Redundancies and Breach of Agreements

Further to my earlier letters, I am writing to remind you that the re-ballot in this dispute begins today and you should receive your ballot paper in the next day or so.

You returned a magnificent YES vote for action in the first ballot, but LUL turned to their lawyers and used technicalities that would have made no difference to the outcome to stop your union using that mandate for action.

The issues at the heart of the dispute are set out again below for your information, but I hope you will agree that the best response to LUL’s contemptuous attempt to thwart your democratic will is to return an even bigger majority for action.

Do not let LUL get away with using legislation in place of negotiation. Please make sure you vote, and vote “YES” for strike action and action short of a strike.

Please ensure that your ballot paper is returned to ERS in the prepaid envelope by Thursday, May 28.

If you have not received a ballot paper by Thursday May 21, please call the RMT FREEPHONE helpline on 0800 376 3706

Best wishes,

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary

As you know we are in dispute with the company over a number of issues:

Breaches of Agreements – Management have been breaching the agreed disciplinary and attendance procedures and have encouraged aggressive and punitive behaviour by local managers. For example, members are given 52 weeks warnings for a first attendance warning, maximum attendance warnings are given as standard, members are regularly subject to unreasonable pressure while they are ill, members have been refused representation for interviews while they are ill, and have been refused representation at other interviews where these could lead to disciplinary action. Management’s latest stunt is to actually increase the level of management representation at disciplinaries by planting a People Management Advisor at hearings.

Redundancies – LUL are attempting to push through their Organisational Change policy which contains compulsory redundancy proposals despite the agreement made with RMT in the PPP Code of Conduct. This Union will not accept any dilution to the agreement for these members nor will we accept compulsory redundancies for any other LUL employee.

Improvements to Rates of Pay & Conditions of Service 2009 – There won’t be any now and in years to come if LUL have their way. They have failed to respond to our claim for a one year pay deal and other improvements. Their pay offer of 1% for 2009 and RPI plus 0.5% (with a minimum of 0.5% should inflation be negative) for the next 4 years is totally unacceptable to this Union and its members.