Work-Life Balance

Industial relations within the Revenue dept sank to an all time low last week with an appalling attack on the RMT reps within the dept, by the centurian manager, in an email to all staff.

The email, full of gross untuths, misleading suggestions and anti union retoric, lays bare the depts full contempt for the RMT and the machinary.

Since last september, RMT reps have , via the level one process, agreed in good faith, arrangements to enhance work life balance and other issues, only to then see the arrangements made, regulary ignored by DRCMs and Centurian managers.

London Transport Regional Council passed the following resolution at its May 2012 meeting:

This union notes the government’s announcement of changes to provision for children with special needs. While the current system is not perfect, these proposals will cut provision, and are a significant attack on support for the most needy kids and the jobs of those education workers who support them.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, that London Underground has written to RMT notifying us of its new guidelines for social media use. Once again, LUL has failed to consult us over a policy which significantly affects our members, and only asks for our "questions" after the document is published, not our input whilst it is being drafted.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the work-life balance policy of London Underground Ltd. While it is far from perfect, we are concerned to ensure that our members are aware of the rights that they do have, and that management are upholding these rights.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to

1. produce a summary of members’ rights under this policy, in concise, easy-to-understand wording
2. ask our branches and representatives for their views on how this policy operates in practice
3. place these in front of us once received.

Dear Colleagues,

NECESSARY LEAVE TO LOOK AFTER DEPENDENTS

In view of the strikes next Thursday 30 June 2011, I felt a reminder on the legal position regarding necessary leave to look after children or other dependents may be of assistance.

Under S.57A Employment Rights Act 1996 (“ERA 1996”), employees have the right to take unpaid time off work, in certain circumstances, to care for or make arrangements in respect of a ‘dependant’. In order for the right to apply, the employee must:
(a) tell the employer the reason for his or her absence as soon as reasonably practicable; and

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note that Serco Docklands has clarified that: “Employees on trade union contracts will be paid double time if they work on a bank holiday, this applies to both hours and overtime. The bank holiday payments are applied from 12 midnight at the start of the day to midnight at the end of the day. If an employee is rostered to work on a bank holiday or if it is their rostered rest day they will accrue a lieu day. They may choose to have this paid instead.”

We seek the views of our Docklands Light Railway branch on this matter.

In April, working parents' rights will be extended in the areas of:

• additional paternity leave and pay
• right to request flexible working

Details are below. Employers should update their policies to reflect these changes.

Additional Paternity Leave and Pay

Paternity leave rights have been extended for parents of children born or placed for adoption from 3 April 2011 onwards (or who enter the UK from this date in the case of overseas adoptions).