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New Tube Industrial Action Short of Strike Called As Dispute Intensifies

New action short begins from 0330 hours Tuesday 28th July 2015

Dear Colleagues,

RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE & NIGHT RUNNING LONDON UNDERGROUND

Further to previous correspondence, the union’s General Grades Committee has today considered the latest situation in our dispute with LUL over Pay and Night running. Firstly I wish to congratulate you all for your steadfast resolve and determination on the recent days of action. This magnificent show of solidarity sent a crystal clear message that members demand a

"The recent strike days were rock solid and the ongoing overtime ban is having a drastic impact on their ability to run a service." - Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary

decent offer to keep pay up with the cost of living and adequately compensates for the introduction of night running.

As you know, the Overtime ban is biting hard, with management making desperate attempts to paper over the cracks by riding roughshod over our agreements which ensure the safety of staff and passengers alike. It has become so serious we have been forced to report LUL to the ORR over a series of breaches of safety protocol last weekend. Talks at ACAS were cancelled today as we were called to attend an emergency meeting with the ORR to discuss these breaches.

In addition to the ongoing overtime ban all members are instructed as follows: -

• From 0330 hours Tuesday 28th July 2015, until further notice, members are instructed not to train or familiarise any London Underground Employee or contractor in any working practice/s that are not a normal, contractual and agreed job task work location of the trainee.

In addition from 0330 hours Tuesday 28th July 2015, until further notice, all Train Operators and Instructor Operators are instructed as follows: -

• Drivers are instructed to check whether their train has been prepped within the previous 24 hours before bringing their train into service.

• If the train has not been prepped within the previous 24 hours, do not bring the train into service.

• If the train has been prepped within the last 24 hours, but this has been carried out by unqualified personnel, do not bring the train into service.

We continue to try to resolve this dispute but LUL has failed to properly address our claim. Their current offer is totally divisive and they have completely failed to address the wider issues of your work/life balance caused by their reckless efforts to bulldoze through the introduction of Night Tube. The offer was designed to buy off the minority to the detriment of the majority – over two thirds of staff would not benefit from any payment for Night Tube. Furthermore, there was not any commitment to ensure that other grades would get a payment as and when Night Tube is rolled out across London Underground.

The recent strike days were rock solid and the ongoing overtime ban is having a drastic impact on their ability to run a service. Regrettably their actions to try to undermine the action have had such serious safety implications that, we have been forced to take this matter to the highest level of the Office of Rail Regulator.

LUL should be focusing their efforts on tabling a decent offer which rewards all your hard work and loyalty and genuinely compensates staff for dramatic affect Night running will have on your working conditions. I urge members to continue to stand firm and take the above action as well as continuing to adhere to the ongoing overtime ban. The strike action called from 5th August is still in place but in the meantime we will continue to seek a negotiated settlement. I will of course keep you advised of all further developments.

STAND FIRM SUPPORT THE ACTION

Yours sincerely Mick Cash General Secretary