The Olympics Dis-Agreement

Don’t sign away your right to work reasonable hours and finish at a reasonable time.

The RMT is insisting that NO member should be compelled to work longer hours or finish later than is stipulated in our contracts and the Framework Agreement.

Our legal advice backs us in this assertion. We are demanding further talks with LUL to ensure that ALL members of staff are treated fairly.

Issue 20 RMT Up front April 2012

Click on the attachment to see the latest edition of RMT Up front.
Main stories follow:

Still no deal for RMT drivers working the Olympics

Ongoing talks at ACAS for working during the Olympics have so far failed to reach any agreement.
The union has been clear all along that we will not agree to alterations or breaches to the Framework Agreements for the Olympics.

Gay Cure Adverts Banned From London Buses

An advertising campaign was to be run on TfL buses promoting a supposed 'Gay Cure' for Christians who wanted to be straight. The ad would have been worded "Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay and proud. Get over it!" This was in response to Stonewalls recent bus campaign 'Some people are gay, get over it!'

The adverts were booked by the 'Core Issues Trust' whose leader, Mike Davidson, believes "homoerotic behaviour is sinful".

Update On Equality Impact Assessment Of LU Job Cuts, And Part-Time Workers' Rights

We note the position, that these legal cases have now been withdrawn. We instruct the General Secretary to keep the report on file for future reference, and to ensure that in current and future instances of employer policies that affect our members, RMT addresses equality impacts at an early stage.

We further instruct the General Secretary to implement our previous instruction to prepare a concise guide to part-time workers’ rights, and to place this in front of us.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

RMT To Approach ASLEF For A Joint Campaign Against Victoria Line Train Automatic Door Opening Plans

We note the request from our Finsbury Park branch, suggesting a joint campaign with ASLEF against the introduction of Automatic Door Opening on the Victoria Line, believing this to be a major component of London Underground’s preparation for the introduction of ‘driverless trains’. We accordingly instruct the General Secretary to contact ASLEF seeking a joint campaign on this issue.

We also encourage our Finsbury Park branch and trains representatives to pursue this with ASLEF at a company and local level.

TfL Pay For 2012

The current TfL pay deal ends this April. TfL bosses are yet to respond to RMT's claim for the ongoing year.

The general grades committee has decided the following:

We note with disappointment that despite the current pay settlement for TfL staff expiring on 1 April and RMT having submitted a new claim, TfL management have not yet convened talks to discuss a new pay deal.

We instruct the General Secretary to contact TfL and insist that these talks begin as a matter of urgency. It is not acceptable for the date a pay settlement is due to pass without talks having even started.

RMT Executive Decision On LU Olympic Offer And Negotiations

We note the reports from our negotiating team and welcome the apparent progress in talks with London
Underground, in which RMT is stating and explaining our position: that all grades of staff are entitled to a
decent financial reward for Olympics working without having to compromise our agreements. We await London Underground's response, and will continue to constructively discuss with LU the staffing arrangements necessary to deliver the transport service that London needs for successful Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Station Familiarisations for SRT Staff

From Stations and Revenue Health & Safety Council

This matter has been referred by your local representives Kenton and Eliza to the Stations and Revenue Safety Council.

Having read the work stream diary that has been created for you all, I am extremely concerned that the amount of time you are being given to get familiarised is totally unrealistic. For example, having spoken to roistered supervisors at various locations, Bank takes a min of 3 days but staff are only being allotted 1 day.