London Underground Job Cuts Deepen Inequalities

Submitted by Janine on 5 July, 2011 - 15:00

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report on the equality strand of the review of London Underground’s OSP (job cuts). We endorse the detailed critique of the job cuts’ impact on equalities, which can be found on file. This critique highlights that London Underground:

  • calculates station staffing levels without considering the needs of equality groups
  • uses methods for collecting information, categorising passenger journeys and assessing data which are deeply flawed and fail to account for equality issues

RMT Rejects Below-Inflation EDF Powerlink Pay Offer

Submitted by Janine on 5 July, 2011 - 15:00

We note that EDF has made an offer to settle the Wages and Supervisory Grades pay claim for 2011 of:

  • Year 1 with effect from 1st April 2011 an increase in basic salaries and associated allowances of 4.5%
  • Years 2 to 5 inclusive with effect from 1st April each year from 2012 to 2015 an increase in basic salaries and associated allowances of the published June RPI figure plus 0.25%
  • The next review date will be the 1st April 2006

LGBT Gains and Inequalities

Submitted by Peter on 3 July, 2011 - 14:10

At this years RMT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender conference, Executive member for London Transport Region Janine Booth brought to members attentions the realities of LGBT rights internationally and the equalities that British LGBT workers and people still lack.

Internationally full legal equality for homosexuals only exists in 8 countries in the world. That is that they have equal rights including an equal marriage something that still eludes us in the UK. In 80 countries homosexuality is still illegal. Of these seven countries still have the death penalty. Only recently Uganda was attempting to criminalize all homosexual acts - punishment being a death sentence.

Court Clears RMT Regional Organiser Steve Hedley of Assault

Submitted by Admin on 1 July, 2011 - 17:34

RMT Regional Organiser Steve Hedley has won his appeal against a conviction for common assault arising from an incident on a picket line last year. More details to follow. We are delighted that our Regional Organiser has been exonerated as we always believed his conviction was unjust.

RMT has written to London Underground and TfL seeking confirmation that Steve is now welcome on their premises again.

Pay and Conditions - TfL

Submitted by Admin on 1 July, 2011 - 14:37

Branches will be aware that we are now in the third year of TFL’s three-year pay settlement. We agreed for this year that increase for the ‘Achieved’ rating would be February RPI + 0.5%. The February RPI figure has now been confirmed as 5.5%. Therefore for those who receive the ‘Achieved’ rating, the award is 6% effective as of 1st April 2011, which is payable in July 2011. This applies to members who working in TFL Corporate, Surface Transport and Rail for London Limited who are in Pay bands 1-3, as well as those who TUPED into TFL from other organisations.

RMT sends full support to striking workers and pledges co-ordinated action in fight against cuts

Submitted by Admin on 30 June, 2011 - 18:00

THE RMT AGM in Fort William has sent a message of “full and unconditional” support to the three quarters of a million workers taking action today against Government attacks on their pensions.

RMT has also pledged to co-ordinate its campaigning and action against the McNulty assault on the railways with other workers facing similar attacks on their jobs, pay and pensions over the coming months.

Speaking from the RMT AGM in Fort William, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

LUL Job Cuts - Overtime Ban Ended

Submitted by Peter on 30 June, 2011 - 13:41

I write to advise members that the Job Cuts dispute was discussed yesterday at the union’s Annual General Meeting. Following a considered debate it was decided by conference to suspend the continuous overtime ban which has been in place since last year. Members are therefore instructed to work normally with regard to overtime.

Although the overtime ban has been called off we maintain our commitment to fight to protect booking office jobs so the instruction for members to refuse to participate in the minimum £5 Oyster Card top-up remains in place.

Yours Sincerely

Bob Crow