Tube Lines

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.

WITHDRAWAL OF REST DAYS, TRACK & CIVILS STAFF – TUBELINES (AP JNP) (LUL/8/6)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/081/15, 23rd March 2015), the referendum has concluded with members voting as follows:-

Question: Are you prepared to accept the Company’s offer?

Total Votes Cast… 46
Number Voting ‘Yes’… 7
Number Voting ‘No’… 39
Spoilt Papers… 0

Referring to my previous Circular (IR/061/15, 2nd March 2015), Branches will recall that a resolution was received from our LU Engineering Branch advising that Tube Lines were imposing changes to our members’ terms and conditions. The General Grades Committee has considered this resolution and instructed me to write to Tube Lines to demand that these arrangements are not imposed and to conduct a referendum of the affected members with a recommendation to reject the proposals. The changes referred to are as follows:-

WITHDRAWAL OF REST DAYS, TRACK & CIVILS STAFF – TUBELINES (AP JNP) (LUL/8/6)

A resolution has been received from our London Underground Engineering Branch concerning the above matter, which is as follows:-

“The Branch has been informed that the agreement reached below represents the most that can be achieved through negotiation.

We are concerned that our members need to be fully consulted and involved in deciding whether this agreement is acceptable and our Branch therefore requests a referendum is carried out of all affected members in AP JNP Track and Civils, namely, Civils, Northern and Pic Track, Ultrasonics and the Lube Gang.

We further ask for it to be clear in the referendum that a rejection is likely to lead to a need to take industrial action and a strike ballot will likely follow.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR LEAVE AND PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS 2014/2015
TUBELINES (LUL/7/2)

I have received correspondence regarding the Christmas & New Year leave and payment arrangements for Tube Lines which are the same as last year. A copy of the arrangements is attached for your information. Following consultation with our Company Council Representatives, the General Grades Committee has taken the decision to inform the Company of our acceptance of the arrangements.

I am pleased to advise branches that following further discussions with the company, the GGC has accepted the latest proposal from Tube Lines to resolve this dispute. The details of the agreement are below: -

• All staff will be rostered to work a 35 hour week consisting of 5 consecutive shifts (either Sunday – Thursday or Monday to Friday) with 2 consecutive day off.
• The 10 days on 4 off roster will be removed from the Contract of Employment.
• Annual Leave days will be 37 days per annum.
  

I write to advise you that your General Grades Committee has considered the ballot result and has decided to call members to take industrial action over the company’s disgraceful withdrawal of your rest days. We believe it is totally unacceptable for the company to deny you properly rostered quality time off away from work.

With effect from 00.01 hours Tuesday 8th July 2014, until further notice you are instructed:

• To comply with Health and Safety requirements and take your official meal breaks whilst on duty.

RMT members working for Tube Lines in the Permanent Way Department (track) on the Jubilee Line are being balloted for both strike action and action short of a strike from today in a dispute over the withdrawal of rest days, the union confirmed this morning.

The dispute, which has massive implications for the Jubilee Line services, is over an all-out attack by the management on properly rostered and agreed time off away from work. The removal of rest days would wreck the work/life balance of staff and effectively leave them at the beck and call of their managers.

WITHDRAWAL OF REST DAYS – JUBILEE LINE – TUBE LINES (LUL/8/6)

We have entered into dispute with Tube Lines after they took away the rest days of our Jubilee Line Permanent Way members. We believe it is totally unacceptable to remove our members’ right to proper rostered agreed quality time off away from work. The union has therefore entered into dispute with the company and ballot papers will be sent to members later this week with a closing date of Thursday 19th June 2014.

A ballot for strike action and industrial action short of a strike was held of our Tube Lines members at Northfield Depot over a Breakdown in industrial relations. This dispute related to reports we had received that management had been riding roughshod over agreements relating to the Sickness and Attendance Procedures. They had also withheld sickpay, denied the right to raise a grievance as well as the right to trade union representation.