Defending and improving conditions

From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow

I have received reports that agency workers employed by Trainpeople.co.uk engaged on Grand Central Railways and London Underground’s Bakerloo Line contracts have not been paid for the second month running and have been excluded from the Agency Worker Regulations by Trainpeople.co.uk, who are using the Swedish derogation contract model to employ our members.

"We will not accept London Underground reneging on our agreement nor any other organisation"

We note the correspondence from London Underground, which poses a perverse misinterpretation of the agreement we reached at ACAS, and which has been circulated widely to LU train drivers by ASLEF. We instruct the General Secretary to reply to this letter, giving a detailed rebuttal of its contents, and to circularise this reply to our representatives.

We note the General Secretary’s efforts to arrange an immediate return to ACAS to enforce our agreement.

That we note the correspondence on file regarding Harmonisation.

Referring to decision GWW 26th April 2012 (Rates of Pay & Conditions of Service 2012 - Thales) where our members are to be balloted for Industrial Action, we instruct the General Secretary to commence an immediate ballot our affected members for strike action and action short of a strike on "Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2012" and "Harmonisation of Terms & Conditions", with a strong recommendation to vote YES on both questions. This ballot is to be undertaken in the minimum amount of time allowed to us by law.

"Despite an increasing workload this summer as we head towards the Olympics the staff running the London cycle hire scheme are facing a bullying management who are imposing outrageous changes to conditions" - Bob Crow

TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed today that it is to ballot staff running the London “Boris Bike’s” for both strike action and action short of a strike over a range of grievances:

1. Imposition of changes to working hours and shift patterns which have been unanimously rejected by our members.
2. No offer of any financial reward for working during the Olympics, despite the big increased in workload and the Games’ organisers’ promotion of cycling during the event.
3. The unfair and draconian attendance policy.

RMT demands a decent living wage for Cubic staff

RMT has been negotiating with Cubic Transportation for decent pay and conditions, including an Olympic bonus.

We are demanding: PAY EQUALITY, with a decent rate of pay for all staff and an end to individual pay rates – people doing the same job deserve the same pay; a substantial OLYMPIC BONUS for all staff; FREE TRANSPORT on London Underground, and a SHORTER WORKING WEEK for all staff to work the same hours with no loss of pay.

Transport union RMT today slammed leaked reports that venture capitalist, Tory-funder and Cameron oppo Adrian Beecroft is preparing to publish a study recommending a full-frontal attack on workplace rights.

Beecroft, who has funded the Tories to the tune of a half a million pounds, has been set up by Cameron to be his out-rider for attacking worker’s rights in the same way that McNulty was tasked with doing a similar number on the railways.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser that at a meeting yesterday, Tube Lines offered the following:

• Tube Lines would start immediately to issue staff Oyster cards to all staff and also
  issue staff nominee passes in line with those issued to LUL staff.
• A joint working party would be set up to look at the rates of pay, terms and conditions,
  pensions and 75% reduction on mainline railways between Tube Lines and APD.

Pro forma is attached below

By now most of you will have received a copy of an expression of interest form circulated by LUL asking Drivers to give their preferences for working additional shifts over the Olympic period, in breach of our framework agreements. This form claims its distribution has been agreed with the Trade Unions whereas only ASLEF has agreed. RMT continues to be in discussions with LUL over our claims for Olympic recognition and reward.

That we note the correspondence from our Stratford no.1 branch, and the branch’s view that this union should maintain its stance that London Underground should provide uniform cleaning vouchers.

We note that LU management is refusing to discuss restoring the vouchers at the Uniform Consultative Committee, declaring that it considers the matter closed. We disagree.