London Underground Ltd

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the correspondence from Gerry Duffy, London Underground Employee Relations Director, dated 15 June 2011. We further note that at the Company Council meeting on 14 April, RMT tabled the issue of LU’s withdrawal of uniform cleaning vouchers, and management stated that should we wish to have the vouchers restored, the company would restore them. Following GGC decision G576 of 11 May 2011, we wrote to LU advising that we wish the vouchers to be restored as soon as possible. We are therefore disappointed that Mr Duffy has now written to us, after some delay, advising that rather than restore the vouchers immediately, he intends to convene a meeting of the Uniform Sub-Committee to discuss this matter further.

I write to advise members that the Job Cuts dispute was discussed yesterday at the union’s Annual General Meeting. Following a considered debate it was decided by conference to suspend the continuous overtime ban which has been in place since last year. Members are therefore instructed to work normally with regard to overtime.

Although the overtime ban has been called off we maintain our commitment to fight to protect booking office jobs so the instruction for members to refuse to participate in the minimum £5 Oyster Card top-up remains in place.

Yours Sincerely

Bob Crow

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the revised offer from London Underground. Whilst it shows a slight improvement, this offer is still below inflation, does not adequately address our claims for improved conditions, and remains a five-year offer. It therefore falls well short of settlements we have achieved on some other companies, and of our claim for a one-year deal of a substantial increase in pay and improved conditions. We also note that London Underground has confirmed that this is not its final offer.

The following resolution submitted by East Ham branch was carried at the Regional Council meeting on May 26th.

This Regional Council already has policy that RMT should name a figure that the union aspires to achieve for this year’s pay award. We now resolve that this figure should be 6.5% (ie. February RPI+1%) or £2,500 whichever is higher. We feel that this would give greater benefit to the low paid grades whilst still being reasonable for the higher paid Grades.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the report from our Regional Organiser and the recent discussion with our representatives. We accept our Regional Organiser’s recommendation that we accept the proposed machineries of negotiation for London Underground, both industrial relations and health & safety. We await clarification of the two issues raised with the company before signing our agreement.

We instruct the General Secretary, once agreement is signed, to advise all relevant branches and representatives, providing them with a copy of the documents.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note that London Underground has agreed to our request to reinstate uniform cleaning vouchers. We instruct the General Secretary to inform London Underground of our acceptance of this; ask the company to restore the vouchers as soon as possible; and ask the company for a list of outlets which accept the vouchers. The company’s reply is to be placed back in front of us.

We further instruct the General Secretary to advise all London Underground members of:

• our success in achieving the reinstatement of uniform cleaning vouchers

REINSTATE OUR REPS! At long last, Eamonn Lynch's tribunal has announced its unanimous decision: Eamonn's dismissal by LU was unfair and was because of his trade union activities. If management still refuses to reinstate both Eamonn and Arwyn, we must prepare to hit the company with strike action, starting on Monday 16th May. An injury to one is an injury to all.

For details of the strikes and other issues, click on the attachment below.

Click on the attachment to see the lastest edition of RMT up front, the newsletter for LU train operators. It gives a full report on the recent tribunal ruling on Eamonn Lynch's unlawful sacking.

Main story follows:

Eamonn Lynch secures crushing victory at employment tribunal

An employment tribunal has unequivocally found that Eamonn Lynch, RMT Health and Safety Representative for the Bakerloo Line, was dismissed because he was a member of a health and safety committee and because of his trade union activities.
Three times now the legal system - usually biased towards employers - has
ruled on the side of Tube workers, giving a massive boost to the union's
campaign for reinstatement of both Eamonn and Northern Line driver Arwyn
Thomas.

RMT has called a series of strikes on London Underground from May 16, 2011 in defence of Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas, two reps unfairly sacked for their trade union activities. Eamonn won his employment tribunal shortly after this interview with RMT assistant general secretary Pat Sikorski was filmed. Arwyn has won his interim relief hearing which ruled on the 'likelihood' that his full tribunal is likely to rule in his favour. Yet London Underground stubbornly refuses to budge and re-instate these men.