Night Tube

COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES REPORT MAY 28TH 2015 JOHN REID

PAY AND NIGHT TUBE
We met with Aslef, Tssa and Unite and have embarked on a joint ballot for strike action over the derisory pay offer and the imposition of Night Tube.

EVERY JOB MATTERS
We note the correspondence on file from our Lead Officer and the resolution from Finsbury Park Branch. We instruct the General Secretary to re-ballot all of our Station Staff members on London Underground on the unresolved dispute over Every Job Matters. Which despite huge opposition from staff and public has seen the destruction of ticket offices which we implacably oppose.

BALLOT OVER WAGES and ALL-NIGHT RUNNING

The RMT has declared a dispute with LUL over wages and all-night running and is preparing to ballot for strike action.

An outrageous attempt to drive a coach and horses through existing procedures has been attempted by LUL managers who wish to impose new rosters on staff in the run up to the introduction of night tube operation on 12th September 2015. The rosters would pin staff into a regime of anti-social hours and appalling working conditions.

RMT declares dispute over tube night running and derisory pay offer and prepares to ballot for action

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has declared a formal dispute with London Underground over an outrageous attempt to drive a coach and horses through existing procedures by attempting to impose new rosters on staff in the run up to the scheduled date for the introduction of night tube operation – 12th September 2015. The rosters would pin staff into a regime of anti-social hours and appalling working conditions.

• Tube bosses letter signalling an attempt to bypass negotiation initially considered a hoax as it was such a provocative act.
• RMT seeks common ground with ASLEF in Night Tube negotiations
• Local reps 'instructed not to co-operate whatsoever in local roster consultation until further notice'

Dear Colleagues

NIGHT TUBE CONSULTATION

Please be advised that the Trains Functional Council Staff-Side Chair has received a letter from the Bakerloo Line General Manager, Lance Ramsey, who is the LUL conduit for the Night Tube consultations.

London Underground bosses have launched a new website for tube workers which supposedly provides some answers on what Night Tube will mean for us. However there is one big inaccuracy. A question on the site asks “Are you going to change staff frameworks?” And the answer given is that “we do not believe it is currently necessary”.

However LUL bosses - some time ago - said the opposite, writing to the RMT saying they wish to enter into negotiations on frameworks; and these negotiations are taking place right now.

The Night Tube website is clearly misleading.

RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/0001)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/332/14, 15th December 2014), members will recall that we included a claim for a 4 day, 32 hour week and equal travel facilities for all London Underground staff in our submission to the Company. A series of meetings have now taken place and the following offer has been made:-

Year One
A 0.75% increase, effective from 1st April 2015.

Year Two
An increase of RPI in 2016

Moving the goalposts?

A few years ago LUL introduced a performance bonus for operational staff. It wasn't something the RMT asked for, or were happy about. As a Union we believe that all earnings should be consolidated, i.e. included in the salary so that it is pensionable and goes up with inflation. However, LUL wanted a system that rewarded “good performance” so decided to pay us extra if we met certain targets. Sometimes we met them and sometimes we didn't – but at least it was possible to meet them.

TUBE UNION RMT today warned Londoners that this mornings disruption arising from signalling breakdowns and train failures on the Piccadilly, Bakerloo and Jubilee lines are a reminder of the serious challenges that face the overstretched tube infrastructure and fleet – challenges that are set to be deepened by the planned night running service due to be introduced later this year.

Pay negotiations update from RMT Regional Organiser John Leach.

This afternoon I attended talks with RMT senior functional reps and Directors of LUL.

Members will know that the company so far have offered a two year pay deal 2015 ..0.50% and 2016 RPI and two one off payments of £250 for night tube.

At todays meeting the company have marginally revised the offer to:

2015...0.75%(1/4 %increase)
2016 ..RPI

So over the two years the offer has been moved by a mere 0.25%!