Pensions

Dear Colleagues,

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

TfL PENSIONS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (PCC) ELECTIONS

TfL Pension Fund members are now receiving a ballot paper asking them to vote for candidates in the Section Three (LUL & Tube Lines employees) PCC election.

RMT members Paul O’Brien and Paul Murphy are standing for re-election and have been nominated by the London Transport Regional Council as their preferred candidates.

Dear Colleagues,

PENSIONS AND PASSES – TUBE LINES

I refer to my previous Circular NP/002/14, 9th January 2014, as you will recall the RMT has been having a long running dispute with LUL in respect of former employees of Tube Lines being refused the same pension and travel rights as other LUL workers.

A number of unions have called industrial action to take place on Thursday 10th July. Public sector workers are protesting the imposition of a 1% pay rise – which would represent yet another year where their living standards decline (taking into account inflation).

Irrespective of whether the UK economy is in a sound position, the country is already and is predicted to continue registering growth. And workers must take their share – as many are expected to do.

Transport for London staff join July 10th strike action in fight over attack on pay and pensions
RMT members at Transport for London will be taking a further 24 hours of joint strike action from this Thursday morning, coinciding with widespread national industrial action in the public sector, in a dispute over an all-out attack on pay and pensions that would condemn to staff to a life of poverty in retirement.

Members have been instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-

• 05.59 hours Thursday 10th July 2014 and 05.58 hours Friday 11th July 2014.

Firstly I wish to thank you for your solid support for your union on the last strike day. Despite this magnificent show of solidarity the company continue to refuse to address our concerns. Their plans for pay freezes and cuts to your pension rights are part of a concerted attack on your terms and conditions. Together with our sister unions Unite and TSSA a further strike day has been called to force management back to the negotiating table and reverse their disgraceful plans which would do the following: -

FURTHER STRIKE ACTION CALLED

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – POWER CONTROL OPERATORS
LONDON UNDERGROUND

Further to my recent letter, you will be well aware that talks have failed to reach agreement with the company. Last week I informed you of the initial strike called to begin from 1st July 2014 and this instruction has now been extended. To confirm, the union’s strike instruction is now as follows: -

Members are instructed no to book on for any shifts between:-

• 20:00 hours on Tuesday 1st July 2014 and 19:59 hours on Tuesday 15th July 2014.

Further to my last letter I regret to advise you that there has been no progress in our discussions with management despite the solid strike action that took place last month. It has therefore been decided by your General Grades Committee, in coordination with our sister unions Unite and TSSA, to call further joint industrial action in our dispute to defend pensionable pay.

All Transport for London members are therefore instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-

• 05.59 hours Friday 13th June 2014 and 05.58 hours Saturday 14th June 2014.

TfL management are proposing to make £4.2 billion of cuts across LUL – £600 million ofthese savings could be made by slashing your pension rights. Management want you to pay more for less.

• They want to increase pension contributions which means less take home pay
• They want to reduce your benefits which means you will have to work longer for lessbenefits
• They want to close the fund to new entrants – which means the whole fund and thecherished final salary pension will be under threat

Further to my recent circulars our TfL members, in coordination with our TSSA and Unite colleagues will be taking 24 hours of strike action from this Friday morning in a dispute over the all-out attack on pay and pensions.

Members have been instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-

• 0600 hours Friday 9th May 2014 and 0559 hours Saturday 10th May 2014.

We note the correspondence from the Lead Officer and senior reps from TfL No 1 branch informing us that TSSA and Unite have called strike action on this matter on Friday 9th May.

While this union, in the interest of solidarity and unity agrees to call our members out on strike on the same date, we are appalled that these unions did not coincide their action with those of our members on London Underground.