Rainbow Procedure

RMT is fighting against London underground's 'rainbow' procedure for sickness.

It seems an odd choice of name. Rainbows are caused when the sun shines through the rain. If you have a few rainy days, there may well be no sunshine from the bosses at LU - just the sack.

There are many scenarios where you could fall foul of the new procedure and potentially lose your job.

Here are a few:

• You had a few odd days off sick and then needed to care for a sick family member.

We note the report from our representative on file, outlining how London Underground is implementing its Rainbow Attendance policy, the unfairness and detriment this is causing to our members, and advice to representatives. We endorse this report, and instruct the General Secretary to send it by post to all London Underground representatives.

All responses are to be placed on file, and further reports, correspondence and legal opinions are to be placed in front of us.

What is Rainbow, how is it being implemented and what does it mean for our members?

Management are taking action against our members where the following arbitrary ‘triggers’ are reached.

• 10 items or more of sickness in the last three years
• 100 days absence in 3 years
  

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the legal advice received on this matter.

While we are disappointed that our advisers believe that there is no legal avenue to compel London Underground to allow trade union representatives to accompany members at Rainbow Attendance Review meetings, we welcome the advice that it may be possible to pursue legal claims arising from London Underground Ltd’s apparent unilateral change to its attendance policy.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to:

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the report from our Regional Organiser. It is clear that London Underground Ltd is using the ‘rainbow’ attendance procedure to crank up its persecution of our members who are unfortunate enough to be unable to attend work through sickness, injury or other adverse circumstances. The company is using arbitrary targets and spurious ‘patterns’ to summon members to meetings, at which it denies them representation, and from which it issues ‘outcome’ letters which threaten disciplinary action.

This resolution submitted by Neasden branch was carried unanimously by the March metting of the Regional Council:

That this LRTC notes with concern LU’s demand that some staff must meet a 96% attendance level.

This 96% attendance level has been explained as a part of a ‘Rainbow’ process and has been used against RMT members to threaten further action up to and including medical termination.