31st August 2022

Dear Colleagues,

DEFEND JOBS, PENSIONS & AGREEMENTS – LONDON UNDERGROUND

Further to previous correspondence, TfL has now settled its funding agreement with the Department for Transport. This was done without any input or consultation with the Union and as expected, it contains a raft of wholescale attacks on your jobs, pensions, agreements and also potential future pay awards.

Notably, the funding agreement contains and confirms the following attacks:-

That £230 million of Operational cuts must be made by April 2024.
Capital spending is protected with a £3.6 billion commitment – therefore all cuts will fall on wage costs.
Business rate support will remain at £1 billion while the tube generates £36 billion per annum for the London economy.
Future pay awards will be subject to an, as yet unpublished, public pay policy set by the government.
TfL has undertaken to develop further evidence required to make a strong case for investment in driverless trains.
The implementation plan for pension reforms to be due 13th September 2022.

As you can see, the above affects all grades and all functions across TfL and our demands to protect your jobs, pensions and agreements are at the forefront of our ongoing fightback against these attacks. The industrial action that you have all solidly supported so far in this dispute has delayed the implementation of pension attacks by at least 6 months – they were previously due in March 2022.

The commitment shown in this dispute by all RMT LUL members demonstrates what we can achieve and I am sure you will continue to stand firm together against these cuts on those who should be rewarded for their roles in providing a vital service to London. The fact that LUL have refused to openly discuss any of the above with your Union will only exacerbate this dispute and your National Executive Committee will consider this matter again tomorrow. I will keep you advised of all further developments.

Yours sincerely

Michael Lynch
General Secretary