36 HOUR, 4 DAY WEEK TRIALS – TRAIN OPERATORS & INSTRUCTOR OPERATORS – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/0004)

As part of the London Underground Pay and Night Tube talks, members will recall the referendum amongst our Train Operator and Instructor Operator members in November 2015 over discussions regarding trial arrangements for a 36 hour 4 day week. The referendum concluded with Train Operator and Instructor Operator members voting ‘YES’ for RMT to discuss trial arrangements for volunteers and the Union’s Executive took the decision for RMT Train Operator Representatives to conduct further discussions over the proposals.

Since this time, the Trains Functional Council Reps have been involved in protracted negotiations and it is now proposed that a trial will start in all 3 depots of the Jubilee Line before the end of November. It will be comprised of no more than 25% of the Drivers and populated solely by volunteers; nobody can be forced to work the longer hours. The final drafts of the duties and rosters are not yet available but it has become clear that in order to accommodate changes to facilitate a 4 day week, there would be significant changes to the duties and rosters of the current Drivers.

The National Executive Committee has considered this matter and taken the decision to conduct a referendum of our Train Operator and Instructor Operator members in the 3 depots on the Jubilee Line to ask whether or not they agree to LUL’s proposed trial of a 4-day week on the Jubilee Line.

I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep you advised of all further developments.