LUL Trains

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the resolution from our Hammersmith & City branch and the report from our Regional Organiser about London Underground’s plan to cut 8 duties from Hammersmith depot, with the loss of 3 substantive posts and a significant increase in anti-social working hours for drivers at Hammersmith.

From General Secretary Bob Crow

As previously advised we are balloting all Train Operators and Instructor Operators for strike action over LUL’s continuing victimisation of our representatives and activists. You should by now have received your ballot papers for strike action at your home addresses. If not you should urgently contact the RMT helpline on 0800 376 3706. I urge you to vote in favour of strike action to send a clear message to LUL that we will not tolerate the victimisation of our reps and activists such as Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas. The ballot is due to close on Wednesday 27th April 2011.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the correspondence from London Underground and the report from our Regional Organiser.

We are very concerned that the role of the recently-reorganised duty manager grades in the grievance procedure will see grievances dealt with only within the driver’s own depot, and that in many cases, the grievance will not even reach the Train Operations Manager (TOM). This represents a devaluation of the grievance process, and will inevitably lead to genuine and serious grievances not being dealt with properly.

Click on the attachment to see the latest RMT up front.

Lead story follows:

Vote YES to stop the victimisations of LU drivers!
RMT has served notice to London Underground that we are balloting all drivers on the combine over the victimisations of Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas.
Since Eamonn’s and Arwyn’s dismissals last year train drivers on the Bakerloo Line and at Morden depots have taken two days strike action for their reinstatement.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the correspondence from London Underground on this matter, and also note that London Underground has sent a letter by post to Victoria Line drivers defending its actions on these important safety matters and attacking our dispute. This underlines the importance of our previous decision that this union will send a letter by post to all our Victoria Line driver members outlining our stance on these issues, which is to be implemented without further delay. Email and text communication are to be used to promote this union’s ballot and industrial action, but not to substitute for letters by post when specifically instructed by the GGC.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note with disappointment and disgust that London Underground's directors' review has upheld the sacking of Arwyn Thomas. This is despite the fact that the Employment Tribunal awarded Arwyn Interim Relief and found that LU had sacked him unfairly due to his trade union activities. It is appalling that LU apparently feels that it is above the law, and that Tribunals does not have the power to compel an employer to re-employ a worker sacked unfairly.

To all Train Operators and Instructor Operators on the Victoria Line, from Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary:

Dear Colleagues,

BREAKDOWN OF MACHINERY OF NEGOTIATION: VICTORIA LINE UPGRADE SAFETY AND TRAINING ISSUES- LONDON UNDERGROUND

Further to my letter dated 27th January 2011 regarding the issues over Sensitive Edge Activation, a number of other issues have been bought to my attention concerning the Victoria Line Upgrade. The General Grades Committee has considered this matter and taken the decision to ballot all Victoria Line Train Operator members for industrial action short of a strike with a view to protecting you from being forced to work unsafely and unfairly blamed for accidents.

The RMT train grades has produced the attached poster for noticeboards in train depots. Click on the attachment to download.

General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch and accept its proposal. We therefore instruct the General Secretary to conduct the ballot of our Victoria Line driver members for action short of strikes as soon as practical, with the title “Breakdown of machinery of negotiation: Victoria Line upgrade safety and training issues”.

RMT General Grades Committee decision on DISI:

That we note and accept the report from our lead officer for London Underground. Accordingly, we instruct the General Secretary to issue as soon as possible a circular with the following wording:

RMT is completely opposed to section 2.2 of version 3 of the D.I.S.I. that states “Generally the train operator will be the most appropriate person to assess the defect. However in some cases the controller may decide to arrange for somebody else to attend the train and carry out the assessment.”