Regional Council newsletter August 2008: The Fightback Has Begun

Submitted by Admin on 10 August, 2008 - 23:00

August's issue of the Regional Council newsletter reports on the various groups of workers fighting back around the region; welcomes our victory in defeating ticket office closures; tells readers about the effective recruitment day on the Docklands Light Railway; asks for your support to stop the privatisation of Tyne & Wear Metro; asks what next for revenue control?; advertises our upcoming conference on industrial disputes; and provides a 'know your rights' guide for LUL staff about medical appointments.

Click on the file name below to download it.

Know Your Rights: Medical Appointments - a guide for London Underground staff

Submitted by Admin on 10 August, 2008 - 23:00

If you have a medical appointment, how should you and your manager deal with it?

  • You are supposed to arrange the appointment outside your working hours if possible. But the company accepts that it is not always possible.
  • If the appointment takes you out of only part of your shift, you should get paid special leave.
  • If the appointment takes you out of your whole shift and you have not been able to arrange cover, you may have to take annual leave; if that’s not possible (eg. if you have run out of annual leave entitlement), you should get paid special leave.

Making Our Disputes More Effective

Submitted by Admin on 10 August, 2008 - 23:00

Supported RMT’s campaigns and industrial action over recent years? Thought the union did some things OK but some things less well? Come to our conference on Friday 29 August in the King’s Cross area to discuss with other union members how we can make current and future struggles more effective.

What Next For Revenue Control?

Submitted by Admin on 10 August, 2008 - 23:00

After senior managers’ cull of Duty Revenue Control Managers and Admin, what next for Revenue Control Inspectors?

Special meeting: Friday 22 August, 14:00hrs, RMT Head Office.

All members are invited to discuss the new set-up, tactics, future plans and internal RMT plans for RCIs.

More information from Ross Marshall, Health & Safety rep, BCV Revenue: 07789-652518.

Keep Tyne & Wear Metro Public

Submitted by Admin on 10 August, 2008 - 23:00

Believe it or not, the government wants the Tyne & Wear Metro (Underground) go down the same disastrous PPP route as London Underground.

Please support the campaign to keep Tyne & Wear Metro a wholly publicly owned company. Read and sign the 10 Downing Street petition here.

New Threat to Jobs and Safety: New Victoria trains perfectly safe – in their imaginations!

Submitted by Admin on 8 August, 2008 - 23:00

From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008

The RMT has written to LUL to say we do not accept automatic doors. It is planned that the new Victoria Line trains are designed so that the doors can open on their own without any safety check from the driver. NO matter what is happening on the platform, the train would just open the doors. They assure us that even after several years this would be fail safe technology and would never open the doors in the tunnel. How do they know that? Easy – the private manufacturers have told them so!

Attendance At Work - New Procedure?

Submitted by Admin on 8 August, 2008 - 23:00

From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008

We have been told that at many Depots, Management are re-interpreting the Attendance at work policy (which we never agreed or signed up to!). Full 26 /52 week cautions are being given, despite people trying to minimise their time off, and any mitigation is being ignored!

Party Time On The Tube

Submitted by Admin on 8 August, 2008 - 23:00

From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008

Following on from the drunken chaos on the Underground on May 31st we eagerly await Boris’s plans for December 31st. Past years have seen the Tube transformed into mobile bars on New Years Eve as revellers get in the party spirit before midnight; then transformed into rivers of beer and vomit as they go home again after midnight. Boris’s alcohol ban is hardly likely to reduce this mayhem. Especially if, as in previous years, free travel is sponsored by a drinks company!

RMT Fights For Fair Representation

Submitted by Admin on 8 August, 2008 - 23:00

... But LUL and ASLEF don’t want to know

From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008

Some RMT driver members are having to make do without a local rep due to the collusion between LUL and Aslef to exclude RMT reps from Hammersmith, Barking (H&C), Stratford and Loughton. At Loughton, Aslef only have a dozen members and have a local rep, we have 42 members but no rep.

Instructor Operator Review

Submitted by Admin on 8 August, 2008 - 23:00

From 'RMT On The Trains' newsletter, August 2008

Management have recently given the union draft proposals to review and change the way Instructor operators are recruited and managed and have proposed some important changes to the role which the Union has made objections to. The key change is that they are suggesting a two tier structure going back to the road trainer idea and a "super I/O" who will be off the roster and no longer doing driving as their main job.