Branch Minutes: Thursday 12th October 2009

Branch Secretary: Terry O’Neill.
Branch Chair: Mike Cronin.

Attendees: Muhammad Mujahid, Paul Jordan, Julia Latona , Andrew Cunningham, Dave Pittman, Brian Witham, Malcolm Parker, Gary Curtis, Dave Garey,Amanda Carney, Chris Bluett, Jim McDaid (Bakerloo), Allan Thomson, Mark Wheeler, Glen Brown, Peter Heyes,John Ballard, Reg Taylor, Hemant Morar,Peter Quirke (Neasden),Adrian Finney, Stephen Read, Antony Garrett, D J Dean, Dave Gould, Joe Gonzalez, John McConville, Jeff Addinwell, J Hodges, Antony Morris, Tony Beckerson, Errol Gerald, Peter Smith, Linden Toussaint, Danny Howson, Terry O’Neill, Mike Cronin, Steve Hedley RO, Bob Crow General Sec

Apologies; Nil.

1705 hrs Regional Organiser Opens the meeting.
The meeting starts with the regional Organiser conducting an election for Branch Officers who will remain
in place until the AGM in January 2010.

Results by majority vote:
Terry O’Neill elected as Branch Secretary, Nom by AT, sec by MM.
Chris Bluett elected as assisting Secretary, Nom GB, sec by MC.
Mike Cronin elected as Chair, nom by AF, sec by AC
Adrian Finney elected as Vice Chair, vote, nom AT, sec by AC.

Matters arising from previous minutes

AF raised issue with attempts to split the branch; he stated that any proposal to the COE to split the branch should be put to the branch membership in a ballot.
AT, MM, DP agreed.

Branch Orders’ suspended pending RO & GS addresses and elections.
RO reported that there was a vacancy in the Stations Safety council following the resignation of Unjum Mirza.
Dave Philips & Adam Wheatley were now contesting the election for the vacated position.

Local elections.

Loughton TCD
Industrial: Chris Bluett, nom by Terry O’Neill, sec by Amanda Carney
H&S: Terry O’Neill, nom by Amanda Carney, sec by Chris Bluett

Leytonstone TCD
Industrial 2 positions:
Dennis FitzPatrick, nom by Allan Thomson, sec by Mark Wheeler
Allan Thomson, nom by Glen Brown, sec Mark Wheeler
H&S: Glen Brown, nom by Mohammed Mujahid, sec by Dave Gould

Hainault TCD
No nominations received, positions open

Buckhurst Hill
Industrial: Julia Latona, nom by Dave Pittman, sec by Andy Cunningham
H&S: Dave Pittman, nom by Brian Witham, sec by Julia Latona

Leyton Group
No nominations received, positions open.

Barkingside Group
No nominations, positions open.

Bank Group
Industrial: Michael Cronin, nom by Stephen Read, sec by Anthony Garrett
H&S: Stephen Read, nom by Anthony Garrett, sec Michael Cronin.

Stratford Market Depot
Peter Heyes refused nomination to reps position, due to the futility of the exercise, as management has refused to recognise him as a rep.

Branch Officers
Chair: Adrian Finney, nom by Allan Thomson, sec by Amanda Carney
Assisting Chair Janine Booth, nom by Adrian Finney, sec by Allan Thomson
Secretary: Terry O’Neill, nom by Allan Thomson, sec by Amanda Carney
Assisting Secretary: Chris Bluett, nom by Allan Thomson, sec by Amanda Carney

Treasurer: Ash Malick, nom by Amanda Carney, sec by Glen Brown
Mem/Secretary: Allan Thomson, nom by Amanda Carney, sec by Mohammed Mujahid

Branch Committee
5 Positions to be offered at the AGM, both Chair & Secretary are members.

News Letter Editor
Terry O’Neill

Point of Order
PH raised issue with current branch by laws, as they made reference to branch election processes, PH stated that they have yet to be signed by the GS, as the rules remain on his desk. TO’N will write to the GS and ask that he signs off the branch by-laws, once the G.S is satisfied that these by-laws are in accordance with the rule book.

TO’N will also seek clarification the position of retired members on branch committee’s.

Regional elections

Stations Functional: 2 positions .Julia Latona, Malcolm Taylor
Stations Tier 2 H&S: 1 position. Jason Dew
Stations Tier 2 H&S: 1 position. Adam Wheatley
Service Control Tier 2 H&S: 1 position, Peter Heyes
Trains Tier 2 H&S Council: 1 position, Peter Sheridan

Regional Organiser Address

Steve Hedley reported to the branch on the pay talks, he covered issues ranging from membership lists, pensions, pay & conditions and job cuts. The RMT will meet management next week, but he was clear that AsLEF had caused problems and that RMT members should engage ordinary AsLEF members on the issues. The R.O was unambiguous in his statements on the negative aspects of a branch split.

Return to Standing orders

Minutes accepted, Allan Thomson, Adrian Finney

Matters arising from previous minutes
AT reported on JMcC out of pocket expenses; John explained more to the branch.
John to receive his expenses of £210. Allan Thomson, Amanda Carney.

R.O stated that all expenses should be agreed in advance with the branch secretary

Standing Orders suspended at GS presentations and reports.
The G.S reported to the branch of the current budgeting problems on LUL.
The G.S went on to make a presentation of 28 individual long service awards.
The G.S held a questions and answers session.

Members Cases

N/A

Motions to the Branch.

1. Peter Heyes : Apprentices
This branch deplores management’s treatment of apprentices, reneging on the commitment to employ them in service control.We further call on the G.S to demand that LUL place them under the auspices of the service control functional council, taking them from the MATS council

Motion Carried

2. Allan Thomson: Branch Split
Unity is strength is the union’s motto: I propose that any attempt to split this branch should be rejected and that as a branch we should not entertain any divisions and we should move forward as one united branch.

Motion carried

3. Adrian Finney :Amendment to Camden No3 branch resolution to support Bob Crow General election.

Delete the last sentence on the Camden motion, ‘this branch supports all efforts to form a coalition for the general election and will publicise and actively support any new initiative’…….

Replace with ‘this branch looks forward to dialogue and debate amongst RMT members and the creation of a working class slate for the election’

Motion Carried

AOB

AT raised issue with a loss of spare turns, reductions to rosters & pool numbers in the driver’s grades.
AT was informed that these changes were agreed at the TFC by majority vote.

Allan Thomson will write to TO’N detailing his concerns, the TO’N will write to TFC RMT members requesting their version of events .

Meeting Closed 1845hrs