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At the hastily arranged ad hoc meeting on Tuesday to discuss our concerns the “heroic” actions of the agency staff were mentioned by the management team of Messrs Smith, Senior, Cullen and Toplis. They were of the opinion a commendation was in order. We countered with its not a commendation she should receive, it’s a full time job she should be awarded with. With LUL. With the requisite pay increase. And with full and adequate training to be able to carry out the important tasks necessary of a station worker.

After sterling work by the RMT H&S reps on the Bakerloo Line we have forced management into a climb down over the refusal to meet with us to discuss the worrying events of last Friday. They are now due to meet with us this afternoon,16/03/2010
Below is the letter given to all Bakerloo drivers today:

Both London Underground and Tube Lines - and, no doubt, many other companies - will tell us that they "have to" cut jobs because of the economic crisis. But a look at London Underground's history shows that this is not just untrue - it is the opposite of the truth.

London Underground began in 1863, when private companies starting opening lines. By the 1920s, the Underground had expanded into a web of lines beneath London, run by several different private companies.

I have been elected as the Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Officer for the London Transport Region at the recent Regional Council Meeting.

Anybody who has suggestions of the sort of things we can be doing in the London Transport Region, or wants to be involved please contact me via email here or leave a comment below.

T/Ops on the Bakerloo Line could not believe their luck, when in an all too rare show of altruism, management swept away the existing way of booking overtime and brought in a new improved system.

Openly weeping with joy an Bakerloo T/Op told us:

"The previous system was bonkers, and now thanks to Bakerloo management we don't have to endure the drudgery of - finishing late - picking up a phone and informing the desk DMT - then hanging up."

A Bakerloo manager informed us:

The 'Robin Hood Tax' campaign has been set up to gain support for a tax on financial institutions. The tax would be on all financial transactions at a rate of 0.5%. This could make around £250 000 000 tax revenue each year.

As taxation revenue was around £606bn in 2007/2008, an extra £250bn would help improve a lot of peoples lives

Standing up for all workers

Wednesday 10th February 2010

In your article titled TfL staff lobby bosses over pay offer (M Star February 3) Steve Hedley, RMT regional organiser, is totally correct in his assertion: "Unless people are prepared to take industrial action, this will keep happening."

The BBC is currently carrying out a survey asking for views on it's coverage of LGB people and issues.

The survey can be completed here.

Tube Lines, whose late completion of upgrade work on the Jubilee Line has resulted in numerous weekend closures, has had a claim for £327m in compensation to complete the work rejected by an independent adjudicator. Tube Lines attempted to claim the money from London Underground. It felt LU was to blame for the work not being completed on time as access to the track was not sufficient.

The stitch-up that led to the unfair dismissal of Fitz Chambers is as clear as day. Let’s look at the facts of the case:

A new Train Operations manager arrives at the Elephant from the District Line with a clear agenda to get the District’s unpopular and discredited “fixed links” system up and running on the Bakerloo.

Your RMT branch resolves to fight this attack on the successful and long running syndicates and this blatant attempt to undermine workers’ control in the depots.