RMT Announces Industrial Action Ballot On Tube Lines Over Pensions

Submitted by Peter on 9 March, 2012 - 21:57

RMT members at Tube Lines, including ex-Alstom Stratford Market depot staff, are to be balloted for industrial action to back the union’s demand for equal pension and travel-pass rights.

The union is demanding that all Tube Lines staff, including ex-Alstom staff at Stratford Market depot, be allowed to join the TfL Pension Scheme and receive the same travel concessions as those who work for LUL, including former Metronet staff.

RMT Women's Conference 2012

Submitted by Janine on 9 March, 2012 - 10:25

This year’s RMT National Women’s Conference, 9 & 10th March 2012, will be webcast live via the members' area of the RMT website.

Any RMT member wishing to watch should go to RMT's website and click on the members' area in the top menu bar on the home page.

Once there you will be prompted to enter a username (your membership number), and your password. Anyone who cannot remember their password should click on the 'register as new user' heading and follow the instructions.

Arnos Grove Stations: RMT Ballots for Action to Restore Cut Staff Posts

Submitted by Janine on 8 March, 2012 - 17:52

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch. We agree with our branch that staffing levels on London Underground stations are deplorably low, and that there is a specific problem with gateline staffing at Wood Green station. We note that negotiations have failed to resolve this matter, and that the branch now wishes to ballot members on Arnos Grove group of stations for action short of strikes with a view to calling an overtime ban.

Unions Oppose TfL Attempt to Divide Equalities

Submitted by Janine on 8 March, 2012 - 17:50

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the documentation on file regarding TfL’s proposal to divide its Equality and Inclusion team into two parts, one for staff issues and one for service delivery. We endorse the objections that staff side have raised to this proposal. We further believe that this division inaccurately implies a significant difference between equalities issues facing workers and those facing passengers, whereas workers and passengers share similar a interest in an accessible, non-discriminatory transport system.

RMT Makes International Women's Day Commitment to Tackling Sexism and Inequality

Submitted by Janine on 8 March, 2012 - 16:38

On International Women's Day, rail, maritime and transport union RMT is reaffirming its commitment to tackling sexism and inequality, and warning that the Government's plans for the railways could spell disaster for women passengers and workers.

International Women's Day began in 1911, as a day of protests in support of rights for working-class women. This year, it coincides with the Government's publication of its response to the McNulty report.

RMT Organises Lift Maintenance Workers on Tube Lines Contract

Submitted by Janine on 8 March, 2012 - 15:48

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our LU Engineering branch, and welcome the many new members who work on maintaining the lifts on Tube Lines.

These members have been under attack from a fierce and anti-RMT management and company called Accord, and have responded by joining RMT and organising through the branch into a fighting unit to hit back at these attacks, and holding a mass meeting last week.

Accord's response to this meeting has been to state that it now intends to recognise Unite from 4 April.

RMT Pursues Free Travel for all London's Transport Workers

Submitted by Janine on 8 March, 2012 - 15:38

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence on file. We are very disappointed by the failure of TfL management to respond to our repeated requests for discussion on this issue. We instruct the General Secretary to write again to TfL in the precise terms set out in the request from our Regional Organiser.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

RMT Pursues Representation on APD Reorganisation

Submitted by Janine on 8 March, 2012 - 15:35

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the correspondence from London Underground and the feedback from our branch secretary, which can be found on file.

We note that Sister Darby has requested a personal meeting with the Employee Relations Director of London Underground about this issue, and instruct the General Secretary to obtain a report on this meeting, following which we will consider options for representation in negotiations on this issue.

We further instruct the General Secretary to pursue the other parts of our previous decision of 24 January.

RMT Challenges Poor Treatment of Workers on Telent/Quinns LU Contract

Submitted by Janine on 8 March, 2012 - 15:34

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the resolution from our LU Engineering branch. We fully support its view that the union needs to challenge the dire treatment of our members on the Telent/Quinns partnership working on LUL Contracts, who have received no pay rise for years and who feel that they are generally treated with contempt.

The branch reports that members are asking for industrial action in defence of their pay and conditions, especially as Olympic preparations are being put in place that ignore their rights and working practices.