Regional Council Minutes 28th April

1.Attendance
Bakerloo – Brian Munro, Eamonn Lynch, M.Taylor
Camden No.3 – John Reid,P.O Brien
Central Line West –
DLR –
East Ham – Gary Lazell,N.Robertson,A.Rowntree,C.Reilly
Finsbury Park – John Kelly, Glenroy Watson, Frank Curtis, Dean O'Hanlon,Neil Cochrane,W.Reid
Hammersmith & City – Mr O Hare,S. Mc Kenzie,D O Hare,M. McKenna
Jubilee South & East London Line –J.Moriarty
London Taxis –
LU Engineering – S.Hedley
LU Fleet –
Morden & Oval – Arwyn Thomas,G Hart
Neasden – Gash Carney
Piccadilly & District West – G.Pugh
Retired Members – Carol Foster
Stratford No.1 – Adrian Finney, Terry O'Neill, Amanda Carney,J.Booth,P.Penny
TfL No.1 –Roy Carey
Thames Riverboats –

In attendance – Steve Hedley (Regional Organiser), Janine Booth (Council of Executives member / meeting secretary), Phil Boston (Organising Unit)

Apologies for Absence
M. Miguel, U.Mirza,P.Jackson, B.Jordan, M.Taylor, R.Marshall, B.O Dowd, D.Pittman.L.Wiles,O.New,C.Diggins,J.Wood,J McDaid,G. Fitzpatrick,D.Rayfield,D.Jarvis.
Minutes of Previous Meeting

Proposed:East Ham Seconded: Stratford
Matters Arising - None

2.Organisation and Recruitment
*Phil Bosman Gave a report on his organising activities including recruiting and organising in Maintenance depots,Taxi,DLR and Stations

3.Reports
C of E member Janine Booth reported on:
*LU Victimisations – ballot result = strong Yes vote for strikes; meeting on 27/4 discussed action; further discussion at train grades meeting before LTRC to make firm recommendations; have advised LU we are available for talks; Eamonn’s Tribunal finished six weeks ago, still awaiting decision(!); press conference when we get it; Arwyn’s Tribunal week of 23/5; calculation of LU spending; need leaflets for other grades explaining why they should support Eamonn & Arwyn, plus workplace visits; need advice to members from safety reps re safety on strike days; leaflet for public being produced; RMT contacting other unions with view to co-ordinating action; should hold major rally before strikes; Tony Rowntree CDI started and adjourned; management refused to allow Steve Hedley to represent him

*LU job cuts (OSP) – management now revealing how few jobs the reviews will restore; must review our tactics; propose amending ‘action short’ to add boycott of Enhanced AFM functionality (already agreed); add refusal to work off-group; keep/relaunch boycott of £5 minimum; suspend overtime ban; still need up-to-date information on stations membership

*Tube cuts – staffing levels and maintenance frequencies cut; more cuts to come; frequent breakdowns and disruptions recently are now big issue in London; recommend the union launches a ‘Stop Tube Cuts’ campaign to fight further cuts and demand reversal of those that have already happened

*TfL – management trying to streamline OCP process for making redundancies and scrap redeployment

*LU machinery of negotiation - stations reps numbers – agreed to reallocate ‘surplus’ reps’ positions created by the abolition of seven stations groups – LTRC to discuss and decide how/where they are to be reallocated

*Victoria Line upgrade health & safety drivers’ dispute – action short of strikes starts next Thursday (see GGC decision)

*Hammersmith & City Line – 8 duties lost at Hammersmith, 5 transferred elsewhere, so net loss of 3 jobs and much more anti-social roster at Hammersmith – ballot for strikes and action short at Hammersmith; and for action short at the other two depots on the line

*LU ‘rainbow’ process – RMT demanding urgent meeting with management (see GGC decision)

*Signals Framework Agreement, Grade Progression – ballot for industrial action (see GGC decision)

*Northumberland Park fleet – ballot for strikes / action short re disciplining of members under IT policy (see GGC decision)

*Imposition of Stations Framework Agreement – management finally conceded 22a is the version that applies; however, not all managers adhering to this; RMT to produce ‘know your rights’ guide for station staff

*Power Control Room grade progression – ballot result 100% for industrial action; management conceded all our demands but want to phase in over three years; we requested extension of 28-day deadline for naming action; awaiting update on ‘heads of agreement’ wording

*DLR dispute – referendum voted to accept offer; awaiting report from branch on workplace issues they now want to pursue
&Regional Organiser assault conviction – TfL has now joined LU in banning Steve from premises and refusing to hold meetings off-premises

*Alstom – Jubilee contract transferred back in-house to Tube Lines; see GGC decision for details

*LU uniform cleaning vouchers – LU has agreed to restore the vouchers after we objected to their withdrawal at Company Council

*LU pay – see GGC decision for our rejection of LU pay offer; RMT/TSSA/Unite agreed joint statement of rejection; verbal report to be given on today’s Company Council meeting; discussion needed at this LTRC meeting on what figure to state as our aspiration

*Disabled members’ advisory committee / conference – consultation with branches; please respond

*Other companies – disputes/campaigns on Heathrow Express; East Coast; London Midland; Mitie; Southern; others

*Egypt –Kamal Abbas from independent union federation to speak in London, 20 May; I will be chairing

Regional Organiser Steve Hedley’s reported on:
*RMT rejects lul pay offer see attachment-
This year we put in a joint pay claim with Unite and Tssa(aslef were
asked to join us but declined) RMT TSSA and Unite are meeting on
thursday 28th April to discuss our next joint positions (once again
Aslef were invited but declined) I attach RMT's formal rejection of
london undergrounds pay offer which as part of a five year deal offered
a 4 percent pay deal this year when inflation is 5.5 percent and
inflation plus 0.25 percent for the next four years. We will be seeking
more talks on pay and I will keep you informed of all progress made

*All Train Operators and Instructor Operators have been balloted for
strike action over LUL's continuing victimisation of our representatives
and activists.

* Met with Tubelines and Alstom management concerning the movement
of Alstom Stratford market depot staff to Tubelines .Things have
progresses fairly smoothly except for the fact that about 25 staff are
in a DB scheme which Tubelines do not have. This is not covered by the
TUPE regulations and after consulting with Paul Norris it doesn't seem
that we have a legal case. We should however demand that TFL put all
Alstom and indeed Tubelines staff in the TFL final salary pension scheme
and be given free passes in line with everyone else in TFL and LUL. We
should also demand The Northern line Alstom depots be taken back into
TFL as privatisation has proved an abysmal and lasting failure.

* The ACAS reviews of station staff cuts will resumed on 27th
April at 9am reports from reps will be distributed.

* Victoria line drivers issues remain unresolved management are thus
far refusing to go to ACAS on sensitive edge or signage issues despite a
ballot for action short of a strike being returned with a huge majority
voting yes.

*Alstom Stratford market depot train maintenance staff will be
transferred to tubelines (now under TFL)under tupe .Now is the time to
launch a campaign for free passes and TfL pensions for all tubelines
staff including former Alstom members.

*CBS outdoors pay talks will take place on Thursday 19th may

*On Saturday 23rd April around 15 RMT members and supporters
leafleted the original tour bus company at Victoria station over the
sacking of RMT member zara senkan.Zara who for years suffer from sex
discrimination. Zara got practically no overtime and terrible shifts
whilst her male colleagues got regular overtime and decent shifts over a
period of two years. When she finally complained and entered a grievance
she was swiftly dismissed on the pretence that she was disrespectful to
managers. The RMT are taking her case to tribunal for sex discrimination
and unfair dismissal. We will be organising more leafleting soon.

*TFL we held a joint TfL/LUL special staff side, followed by a
special meeting of the TfL Company Council.

*Two events coming up which might be of interest to you as a RMT
Activists.28th April pay our respects to those Workers killed over the last year at the
front of Euston Station.MAYDAY on Sunday the 1st May where we meet at
Farringdon Tube 12 noon and March to Trafalgar Square where, after
hearing a number of keynote Speakers we will adjourn to the Bell and
Compass public House to Honouring our Long Service members.

Points raised in Discussion:

*Company Spin on Victimisation dispute causing concern in the workplace and station staff should be included on Strike Committee.

*Dispute discussed at Stations Grade Committee meeting and ways Station members can support dispute discussed.Dispute Hardship Fund forms have been done for Reps/activists to use for workplace collection.
SH/JB-need to build support from all grades in numerous ways.Need for solidarity from all grades.

*Union should seek Annual Pay awards only.
JB-Opposed to multi year deals
-ASLEF in favour of multi year deals
SH-Would not rule out multi year deal if the trems are right.

*Alstom PFI situation on Northern line
JB-alstom should lose contract and work transferred back to TUBE Lines.

*Rainbow Policy
JB Referred to GGC decision

*RMT/TSSA merger.
SH-elected officials is a must.
JB-Should include best aspects of both Unions

Standing Orders suspended to discuss re-allocation of Reps resulting from osp.

*Detailed discussion took place regarding the SFC proposals distributed to Branch Secretaries on redistibuting Station Reps from Groups which no longer exist under OSP.
-Still outstanding issues so it was there fore decided that a deadline of 10th May would be set for any alternative proposals.
-Decision to be taken at the Regional EC on 10th May

4.Resolutions from Branches

Bakerloo Line-Co-ordinated Strike Action
“This Regional Council requests that the General Secretary writes to other trade unions who are in dispute with a view to coordinating strike action across union's and sectors with our dispute on London Underground over the victimisations of Bro's Thomas and Lynch.”

Proposed Bakerloo,Seconded Stratford
Carried Unanimously

2.Bakerloo Line-Hardship Payments

“This Regional Council notes and congratulates the GGC's ballot of all train drivers on London Underground over the victimisations of Bro's Thomas and Lynch. Given the amount of strike action taken by our members in the last 8 months we agree that if any strike action is called by the national union then the Council of Executives should make hardship payments to our members concerned.”

Proposed Bakerloo Line,Seconded Neasden
Carried Unanimously

3.East Ham Branch-Mentoring New Reps

The London Transport Regional Council is to introduce a formal and recognized mentor system for all newly elected reps from 2012 onwards This will enable them to be at their most effective and confident during their first year in office, and onwards into the future.
The mentor should ideally have at least three years experience locally or be at Level Two in LU company council and would help the new rep in various ways (ie.making sure they have all the basic info when starting out, informing them of things they need to do locally, inviting them to observe in LDIs, DBs etc).

A list of mentors needs to be kept by regional council and issued to Branch Secretaries in December of each year
This will make the Representative much more effective at local level and offer the very best service to our members.
This new system should be in place before the December elections.

Proposed East Ham,Seconded Stratford
Carried Unanimously

4.Finsbury Park-Updating Membership Details.

This Region asks that quarterly branch sphere of influence details for the region are provided by head office membership dept of all members shown as being in an incorrect branch for their work place.This information should be forwarded to Branch Sec's to confirm accuracy & to raise any objections to members being transferred to the correct branch.After 14 days of receipt of notification such lists will be acted upon by our Regional Organiser allowing time for any objections and / or alterations.

Proposed Finsbury Park,Seconded Stratford
Carried Unanimously

5.LU Engineering-Libya

This Branch/Region calls for the immediate cessation of military action by British and western powers in Libya. The intervention of the imperial powers is not about safeguarding the interests of the people of Libya or of the wider Middle East/North Africa. Their interests in the region are, primarily, oil (Libya holds the 10th largest known reserves on the planet) and, more immediately, heading off and halting the forward momentum of the revolutionary movements across the region. Their agenda is 'regime change'. The imperial powers are responsible for propping up and maintaining the dictatorships across the region - politically, financially and militarily - the very same regimes that the peoples across the region have risen up against. They are responsible for the muderous actions of the dictatorships in Bahrain and Yemen and the actions of the Saudi regime. They are responsible for the appalling loss of life in Iraq and Afghanistan which remain occupied by these very same powers. They cannot, and never will deliver genuine democracy for the region. Nor can the rulers in the region, the callaborators of the Arab League, ever deliver genuine democracy for the region. That task lies firmly with the peoples of the region themselves. We re-confirm our absolute solidarity with the revolutions in the region.  End Military action in Libya now - Victory to the Mid-East/North African Revolution!

Proposed LU Engineering,Seconded Morden
Amendment from Stratford No 1-not accepted by LU Engineering
Vote on Amendment: 4-2 against amendment.
Vote on Resolution 8-0, 3 abstentions

Resolution Carried

6.LU Fleet-Support Political Prisoners in Zimbabwe

Six people in Zimbabwe are now imprisoned on charges of treason for organizing a meeting to discuss the mass movements in Tunisia and Egypt. For this "crime" they face a possible death sentence. They have been tortured and are now in solitary confinement. The arrest and prosecution of the six may seem like only the latest round of repression by Robert Mugabe's government against opponents. But it is also an attack on the spirit of Tahrir Square, which has inspired people all over the world. The six prisoners include trade unionists, intellectuals, and activists in the struggle for women's rights. The effort to suppress them - and even to kill them, whether by execution or through torture and denial of medical treatment while in custody - is a vicious assault on all of us.

This motion calls on the Region to send a statement of solidarity to the campaign to free the prisoners to solidarity@freethemnow.com and to put this motion to regional council to do the same.

Remitted to next Regional Council due to no one from LU Fleet present to propose.

7.Oppose the Cuts

This Region opposes:
·The vicious attacks by the ConDem government on public services and working class people.
·The idea that public services should be cut in order to bail out the banks.
·Privatization and cuts to public services, whether NHS, education, civil service, transport industry or local authority, and will resist them.
This Region believes:
·Cuts will not be defeated without trade unions fighting hard to protect our members' jobs and conditions.
· This must be done whilst working alongside community groups, including tenants organizations and pensioner groups and local campaigns fighting day to day against the cuts.
This Region notes:
· That Barnet Alliance for Public Services (BA4PS), Camden United Against the Cuts (CUAC) and Lambeth Save Our Services (SOS) are broad based, democratic anti-cuts committee which brings together trade unions, community groups, campaigns and individuals to fight all cuts.
·That B A4PS and CUAC were initiated by local Trades Councils and local community groups. BA4PS and recently organized a demonstration of a thousand people in the borough and CAUL held an excellent and well-publicized demonstration outside Camden Council during the full council meeting.
·That supporters of Lambeth SOS include- Lambeth Pensioners Action Group (LAMPAG), Lambeth Tenants Council, Save Lambeth Libraries, Lambeth University and Colleges Union (UCU), Lambeth National Union of Teachers (NUT), Lambeth GMB, Lambeth UNISON, RMT Finsbury Park and Corydon and Crystal Palace UNITE. They have won their first victory when their lobbies, petitions and campaigning alongside the UNISON branch saved the jobs and services in all of Lambeth's One O'clock Clubs and Adventure Playgrounds.
This Region resolves:
· To affiliate, and put a motion for the region to affiliate, to Barnet Alliance for Public Services, Camden United Against the Cuts & Lambeth SOS at a cost of £50 (Region).
· To participate in local campaign planning meetings.
· To publicize campaign events and actions to branch members and encourage them to become involved.

Remitted to next Regional Council due to no one from LU Fleet present to propose

8.Emergency Resolution:Stratford No 1 London Underground Pay

This Region is appalled by London Underground's below-inflation, five-year pay 'offer', with no commitment to improving conditions. Our union must reject this insult, and fight as effectively as possible for a much better, preferably one-year offer.
We welcome efforts to pursue a joint approach with the other unions. We resolve to produce and distribute information to members about pay and conditions. We believe that the unions should specify the pay figure we aspire to, which should include a specified flat-rate sum to benefit lower-paid grades.

Proposed Startford,Seconded Piccadily&District Line West
Carried Unanimously

5.Correspondence
Files passed around-no comments or questions

6.Other Reports
Resolutions progress:
*Regional Secretary reported that the Resolution passed at the previous Regional Council on the Rainbow process still had oustanding actions as the reports from the various Functional were still to be submitted.

Other Reports:
Glenroy Watson gave a B&EM Report

7.Any Other Business -
Guest Speakers
Neil Grant Camden UAF
*Spoke on anti racist work and ‘Love Music Hate Racism’ Festival on 31st July
*Requested finacial assistance and practical asistance-Agreed by Region
*£100 donation made by Region

Kirchan -Save Our NHS
*Demo on 17th May and invited delegation from RMT
*£100 donation Agreed