News, reports and information for London Underground train drivers
The Upgrades Newsletter has the latest information on upgrades for London Underground train drivers.
In this edition:
As you all maybe aware we are now in the process of working together with LUL to sort out the detail regarding the staffing of Night Tube, such as their contracts and rosters. This includes how they will be managed on Nights, transfers and moves and ways for them to progress from part time drivers to full time and their future development. We are also going to have to work out what will happen to depots with existing Nights as well as Night Tube duties, because depots with existing night duties will now NOT be working on Friday and Saturday night as these will be Night Tube duties only.
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, TRAIN OPERATORS, PICCADILLY LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)
Further to my previous Circular (IR/0037/16, 18th February 2016), the ballot has concluded with the following result:-
Question: Are you prepared to take strike action?
Total Votes Cast 180
Number Voting ‘Yes’ 153
Number Voting ‘No’ 27
Spoilt Papers 0
Dear RMT members,
Today myself and RMT Piccadilly line reps met the company at ACAS. Aslef were there as well.
We laid out a clear way to resolve this dispute. We insisted that the six warnings at Oakwood were cancelled and a Directors review be called for another specific case.
Both were answered with a "no" and an extremely hostile management approach
We would have been prepared to outline a working plan to resolve other key issues with timetabled resolution talks to be led by a General Manager but managment thwarted that.
RMT confirms strike dates after overwhelming vote on Piccadilly Line over comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations
Tube union RMT today confirmed strike action by nearly 400 train operators across the Piccadilly Line over a comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations combining a range of issues.
RMT has instructed all Train Operators and Instructor Operators to take strike action as follows:
Overwhelming strike vote on Piccadilly Line over comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations.
An RMT ballot of nearly 400 train operators across the Piccadilly Line for both strike action and action short of a strike over a comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations combining a range of issues has recorded massive votes in favour.
85% voted for strike action with an even larger number voting for action short of a strike.
The result will now be considered by the union’s executive.
Upfront is the RMT newsletter for drivers on the London Underground. Please share it online and distribute it at your depot.
In this edition:
Pay & Night Tube ballot result: it's a YES
Stay safe - make sure traction current is switched off
Central line incident exposes danger of driverless trains
Union action sees rules for filming in cabs established
Breaches of agreements lead to second Piccadilly Line ballot
Following a recent safety related incident incurred by a Train Operator whilst being filmed for 'the tube' programme, the issue of filming in cabs was brought into sharp focus. You may recall this is the same programme which in an earlier series filmed and aired footage of a Train Operator in obvious discomfort following a person under the train incident.
We have raised concerns with LUL and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) about Train Operators leaving trains in tunnel sidings and being expected to leave the sidings with traction current still on.
The ORR has confirmed that the default position as outlined in law, is that traction current should be off in these circumstances.
The ORR further added that it is not for the Train Operator to request traction current off or for the controller to tell the Train Operator to come out with traction current still on.
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, TRAIN OPERATORS, PICCADILLY LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)
As members may recall (Circular No. IR/236/15, 1st October 2015), we declared a dispute situation with LUL in September 2015 and balloted all Train Operator and Instructor Operator members for strike action and action short of a strike. This dispute was as a result of a catalogue of issues on the line including:-