Finsbury Park branch

To all Train Operators and Instructor Operators on the Victoria Line, from Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary:

Dear Colleagues,

BREAKDOWN OF MACHINERY OF NEGOTIATION: VICTORIA LINE UPGRADE SAFETY AND TRAINING ISSUES- LONDON UNDERGROUND

Further to my letter dated 27th January 2011 regarding the issues over Sensitive Edge Activation, a number of other issues have been bought to my attention concerning the Victoria Line Upgrade. The General Grades Committee has considered this matter and taken the decision to ballot all Victoria Line Train Operator members for industrial action short of a strike with a view to protecting you from being forced to work unsafely and unfairly blamed for accidents.

Click on the attachment below to download the March edition of Monthly News.

In this edition:

Support our Victimised Reps - How Arwyn Thomas and Eammon Lynch were stitched up by the company and why we need to be prepared to strike to ensure their reinstatement;

Safety Breakdown on Victoria Line - Monthly News explains the consequences of the failure of Victoria Line management to consult with the unions on safety issues, and why drivers should vote 'YES' for action short of a strike in the forthcoming ballot;

General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch and accept its proposal. We therefore instruct the General Secretary to conduct the ballot of our Victoria Line driver members for action short of strikes as soon as practical, with the title “Breakdown of machinery of negotiation: Victoria Line upgrade safety and training issues”.

RMT General Grades Committee decision, 10 February:

That we welcome the reinstatement on appeal of Brother Hartshorn. We congratulate Peter, his representative, his workmates, his branch, and all others who supported him in his successful fight for reinstatement.

This resolution, submitted by Finsbury Park branch, was carried unanimously by the February meeting of the Regional Council:

This branch calls for a delegation from the EC to undertake a thorough review of the recent dispute regarding the job cuts and scrutiny of the decision making process: - who made those decisions and on whose authority including when were decisions made. The results of the review will be made available and if required recommendations made for any future disputes will be sought. This review should take place at the end of the dispute.

Peter Hartshorn, RMT rep on Green Park group, has been reinstated on appeal, with his dismissal suspended for 52 weeks. Well done to Peter and his RMT representative, and thanks to everyone from Peter's branch and the region who supported him through this difficult time.

Click on the attachment to download the December edition of Monthly News.

In this edition:

VICTIMISED FOR BEING A GOOD REP? - Green Park rep, Peter Hartshorn, is the latest activist to face a company stitch-up;

FOURTH STRIKE IS STRONGLY SUPPORTED - area roundup.

HOW LONG TIL SOMEONE DIES? That's the question we're asking now that management have ignored our safety concerns over the sensitive edge technology used on the new 09 stock. For more details, please download a copy of this leaflet by clicking on the attachment below.

This resolution, submitted by Finsbury Park branch and seconded by Stratford no.1 branch, was carried unanimously by the January 2011 meeting of the Regional Council:

That this Regional Council is concerned about the dates each Branch holds it meetings and how these date interlocks with the regional council’s executive committee on which each Branch Secretary and Chair are ex officio members, and how each branch feeds into the Regional Council itself.

This resolution, submitted (and amended) by Finsbury Park branch, was carried by the November meeting of the Regional Council:

This Region calls upon the union to urgently campaign for an escalation of the action in the dispute regarding jobs and safety on LUL as already agreed at regional level in order to win the dispute.

We recommend that one of the days for action should be Saturday 18th December.