Opposing cuts in staffing levels and jobs
TFL/LUL intend to cut 1,000 jobs. RMT is kicking off our fightback against this on Wednesday 11 February with a protest outside the building where both LUL management and many of the workers who may be affected are based.
We will be meeting outside St James Park tube station at 07:30 am to demonstrate outside 55 Broadway.
A leaflet advertising the protest is attached. Please download and distribute it.
RMT press release, issued today
ANY THREAT of forced redundancies of RMT members at TfL and London Underground will be resisted, the capital’s biggest tube and rail union said today.
In response to news that at least 1,000 jobs would be cut and fears that thousands more were under threat, RMT said that any move attempt to impose compulsory redundancies would be met with a ballot for industrial action.
Following some very unsavory legal advice it now appears that jobs will be under threat when Metronet staff return to London Underground on 8th December. It appears that although all the staff are being tranferred to LUL, the contracts will remain with Metronet. This makes it possible for example that Metronet withdraw the contract from LUL and give it, let's say, to Balfour Beatty leaving the current Metronet employees jobless. The advice is provided in full underneath.
----Original Message-----
Dear Bob,
RMT press release, issued today
ANY THREAT of forced redundancies of RMT members at TfL and London Underground will be resisted, the capital’s biggest tube and rail union said today.
The union today said it was alarmed by today’s announcement that “hundreds” of jobs could be lost across TfL as part of a drive to find £2.4 billion in “efficiency savings.
“TfL has made vague statements about the need to reduce headcount across TfL and that can only cause alarm among our members,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.
LUL have announced plans to introduce a new grade within service control, this role will replace the old Line Information Assistant and the multi functional SCL2 role on the central, jubilee and Bakerloo Lines.
It is proposed that Line Information Specialists will disseminate information to staff, contractors and the public however SCL2's will be expected to cover this duty as and when required.
LUL have intimated if the unions do not agree this change will be imposed, 30 plus Service Controller two positions ar at risk.
by an RMT rep
Our Department Director has informed us of sweeping job cuts. It seems that management are bulldozing these cuts through. Rumours from worried senior managers are claiming that around 2,500 jobs are to be axed on TfL.
After giving us a slide show about ‘proposed’ changes, they then handed every member of staff a letter telling them whether their position had been ceased or not, and whether you would have to reapply for your own job.
by Jared Wood, RMT rep, Rickmansworth group
We remain in dispute over the enforced transfer of five CSAs from Rickmansworth group.
RMT’s strike action was extremely well supported. 70% of turns did not book on; 25 members picketed. Several TSSA members and even non-union staff observed the strike.
LUL is picking local disputes with station staff in an attempt to demoralise us by facing these down. At some point they will attempt a major cut in station staff numbers. This must not be allowed to happen.
RMT & TSSA are having a joint victory party to celebrate our win in stopping ticket office closures: Thursday 28 August from 19:00hrs at Swinton’s, 61 Swinton Street (near Kings Cross), with free drinks and buffet.
All members from both unions are welcome.
Details: Brenda Sutton 07828-290025 or Brian Haughian 07834-117509.
From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008
Recent threats of strike action combined with public campaigning by the RMT caused management to re-think their plans to cut station staff. We pointed out that a safe railway must be properly staffed. Videos will never substitute for staff.
LUL have now dropped their plans to close dozens of ticket offices. Furthermore they dropped plans to do away with station supervisors during traffic hours – not everything we want but even that could not have been achieved without determined action from your union.