TUBE UNION RMT demanded urgent answers from London Underground chiefs today over massive breaches of safety that enabled two trains to end up narrowly avoiding a head on collision on a section of the Northern Line on Monday evening.
That we note the latest correspondence on file following the announcement from Transport for London (TfL) to introduce Driver Only Operation (DOO) on the whole of the LOROL network. We note that at an initial meeting with the LOROL senior management held yesterday at Overground House and led by their Managing Director, our Lead Officer & our General Secretary both argued in line with RMT policy that this union is completely opposed to the scrapping of the Conductor Guard grades and the implementation of DOO.
TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed today that in a ballot of staff running the London “Boris Bike’s” scheme, members have voted 100% for strike action over a range of grievances:
• The imposition of a 2% pay increase for 2013
• The imposition of shift change patterns
• The continuous bullying and harassment of members
• The company’s refusal to reach a formal agreement on travelling time or on travel allowances.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:
We note the report from our Regional Organiser and agree that our members should be empowered to refuse to book on using biometric systems.
We reiterate that we are completely opposed to fingerprinting and other biometric booking on
procedures, as these infringe on our members’ civil liberties and threaten jobs.
Accordingly, we instruct the General Secretary to immediately conduct a ballot of our members on this contract for industrial action short of strike, to a timescale that enables action to be taken from the date on which ISS attempts to impose this system.
That we note the latest pay offer from Alstom, of 2.75% effective from 1 April 2013 and some changes in travel facilities. We instruct the Regional Organiser to seek improvements to this offer.
Reports and developments to be placed in front of us.LU Fleet branch and London Transport Regional Council to be advised.
We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd dated 8 July 2013. We instruct the General Secretary to reply, explaining that the letter of 28 June does not provide us with the clarity and assurances that we seek. Accordingly, and in line with our previous decision Gww 2 July 2013, we instruct the General Secretary to proceed immediately with a ballot for strikes and action short of strikes, to a timescale to be agreed with our LU Engineering branch. A personal letter is to be sent to all members strongly urging them to vote Yes to both questions.
That we note the result of the ballot for strikes is as follows:-
Total Votes Cast 44
Number Voting ‘Yes’ 44
Number Voting ‘No’ 0
Spoilt Papers 0
That we note the result of the ballot for action short of strikes is as follows:-
Total Votes Cast 44
Number Voting ‘Yes’ 43
Number Voting ‘No’ 0
Spoilt Papers 1
We congratulate our members on their determination to fight for a better deal for this badlytreated workforce.
RMT has produced a newsletter on agency working, describing the numerous issues with being employed by an agency, why that suits the bosses, and how it risks the jobs of workers on permanent contracts.
In this newsletter: