Defending and improving conditions

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

Tube union RMT has confirmed today that a referendum ballot of members across London Underground over the most recent offer from the company on pay and night tube has recorded an overwhelming vote for acceptance.

The ballot recorded a vote of  84 % in favour.

General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“I want to pay tribute to RMT’s members across London Underground who have stood rock solid throughout the long campaign of industrial pressure to secure a fair deal from the company over pay and night tube operation.

BUYING AND SELLING HOLIDAYS POLICY – ALSTOM METRO TRAINS (LUL/7/1)

The Lead Officer recently submitted a report enclosing a policy document received from the Company over the concept of buying and selling annual leave entitlement on a voluntary basis. This matter has been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has reiterated that this Union strongly opposes any form of holiday purchase schemes because all workers should be entitled to a living wage and quality time away from work and should not have to trade one off against the other.

TEST TRAIN OPERATORS WORKING WITH NIRTs – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/1)
 
The Lead Officer has recently submitted a report regarding LUL’s proposal to roster Test Train Operators (TTOs) to support the Network Incident Response Teams (NIRTs), with TTOs driving trains involved with incidents attended by the NIRTs to a depot or sidings location to aid timely resumption of normal passenger service.
 

LU SAYS: GET SICK, GET SACKED

A former CSA, who "failed" their probation (i.e., was sacked) got their appeal decision last week; sacking upheld.

CHANGES TO CLEANING OPERATIONS – INTERSERVE FACILITIES (KEOLIS AMEY DOCKLANDS) (DLR/15/4)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/029, 5^th February 2016), this matter has again been considered by the National Executive Committee, which has noted correspondence from the Branch advising of additional issues arising from Interserve’s implementation of changes to cleaning agreements as follows:-

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, TRAIN OPERATORS, PICCADILLY LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)

As members may recall (Circular No. IR/236/15, 1^st 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:-

This newsletter is for London Underground train drivers on the Piccadilly Line.  Please share it with colleagues and print and display in depots on the line.

In this edition:

• WAR AGAINST DRIVERS - MANAGEMENT GO MILITANT BUT THE FIGHTBACK STARTS NOW
• Policies abused and members targeted
• Cockfosters Depot fiasco

You can also read about the upcoming ballot on the line here.

21st January 2016

Dear Colleague,

RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND NIGHT RUNNING
EVERY JOB MATTERS – DEFENDING JOBS ON
LONDON UNDERGROUND

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON TALKS – REVISED OFFER RECEIVED FROM LUL

Over 50 Interserve cleaners, Tube workers from other grades, and supporters held a noisy protest outside Interserve's head office on Tuesday 15 December, exposing the Scrooge-like practises of the cleaning contractor, which routinely short-pays its workers.