Notes from Regional Council Executive, 8 February 2011

PRESENT: Neil Hodgson, Paul Jackson, James Wong-McSweeney, Glenroy Watson, Bjorn Bradshaw Murray, Dave Rayfield, Adrian Finney, Vaughan Thomas, Janine Booth
IN ATTENDANCE: Steve Hedley (Regional Organiser)
APOLOGIES: Dean O'Hanlon, Adrian Rowe, Olly New

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING BUSINESS

1. ELECTIONS

Election nominations declared as listed here.

2. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO STANDING ORDERS

Agreed to submit the following proposals to amend standing orders to the AGM:

Amendments to standing orders

DELETE Clause 21. “Once agreed, these standing orders can only be changed at an AGM and by 2/3rds majority.”

And REPLACE WITH new Clause 21. “Branches and the Regional Council Executive may submit amendments to these standing orders. Such amendments shall be submitted to the Regional Council Executive meeting in January for debate at the AGM in February, or to the Regional Council Executive meeting in July for debate at the Regional Council meeting in August. Amendments to these standing orders require a two-thirds majority to be passed."

Venue for Regional Council meetings

In Clause 3, DELETE “150 Ossulston Street, Somers Town”, and REPLACE WITH “St. Aloysius Social Centre, Phoenix Road, London”

Timing of Regional Council Executive meetings

In Clause 10, DELETE “16:30” and REPLACE WITH “16:00”

New Officers’ positions

[Each to be voted on separately]

In Clause 5, ADD:

  • Website Officer
  • Publicity Officer
  • Training Officer
  • Social Events Organiser
  • Health & Safety Co-ordinator

Agreed to accept onto the agenda the following resolution from LU Engineering branch:

Regional Council voting

That this branch submits an amendment to the Regional Council Standing Orders Voting System. This branch believes that a system should be used that is proportional to the size of the Branch instead of one vote per branch. The system we propose would give each branch a minumum of 1 vote. Additional votes are given for every 500 members above a benchmark of 500 (as per that years statement of membership) ie a branch with 1000 members would have two votes, a branch with 1500, 3 etc. These votes would by additonal cards retained by the Regional Secretary.

Amendment from Regional Council Executive:

ADD That accordingly, the Standing Orders be amended as follows:

In Clause 6, DELETE “branches” and insert “delegates. Each branch shall be entitled to one delegate for each full 500 members of the branch (as per that year’s statement of membership), with a minimum of one delegate per branch.”

In Clause 12, DELETE “branches” and insert “delegates”.

Noted that in submitting this resolution, it is not the Regional Council Executive’s intention to offer support or endorsement to the resolution from LU Engineering branch, but rather to include the actual standing order change that would facilitate the resolution if it were passed.

3. GRADES COMMITTEE AGMs

In line with the standing orders, these must be held in February.

  • Train grades, 24 February, before LTRC AGM
  • Station and revenue grades, 24 February, before LTRC AGM
  • Cleaning grades - new LTRC Secretary and Regional Organiser to liaise with existing cleaning grades secretary to ensure that AGM takes place
  • Service control - agreed to organise open meeting and invite all service control members, to establish a grades committee

4. RECRUITMENT AND ORGANISING PLAN

This would usually be agreed at the AGM. But due to change of LTRC Secretary, we agreed that new LTRC Secretary and Membership Secretary would draft the recruitment and organising plan to go to March LTRC meeting for endorsement.

ORDINARY BUSINESS

5. RECRUITMENT AND ORGANISING

Dave Rayfield circulated the latest membership statistics; need to update stations work locations; need for recruitment drive.

6. DECISIONS OF LAST MEETING

All resolutions being actioned. Resolution on fare rises - GS ruled had to go to C of E, not to GGC. Agreed to recommend that LTRC appeals against this ruling.

7. NEXT LTRC MEETING - RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions accepted onto agenda:

  • Threat of Withdrawal of Staff Nominee Travel Facilities (Neasden)
  • Dispute review (Finsbury Park)
  • AGM Awards (Neasden)
  • Solidarity with the Egyptian revolution (LU Engineering)
  • Opposing the EDL (LU Fleet)

8. COUNCIL OF EXECUTIVES / REGIONAL ORGANISER REPORTS

Janine circulated C of E / GGC decisions, and a written report, and reported verablly on:

  • Taxis – 15-year age limits
  • election of reps on LT contract
  • DLR – awaiting outcome of legal appeal (held this week, but decision may not be given immediately); progress made in talks
  • Victoria Line sensitive edge – membership information prepared for ballot; awaiting DLR appeal
  • Power Control Room and TACs – referendum result due tomorrow
  • TfL – redundancies in Internal Audit
  • new reps’ class at WEA
  • Egypt - raised at Council of Executives meeting
  • additional public holiday on April 29
  • LU job cuts – OSP now implemented; intend to propose boycott of enhanced AFM functionality; views welcome on ongoing ‘action short’; success in challenging discrimination against part-timers; others being displaced encouraged to appeal; phoneline for incidents; personal letter to station staff members from GS; need to update membership records; reviews progressing
  • LU pay – meeting held with TSSA and Unite to agree joint claim; to be discussed at Company Council
  • LU victimisations – Peter Hartshorn reinstated; Bakerloo and Morden & Oval branches considering more strikes for Eamonn and Arwyn; views welcome on possible escalation; LTRC public meeting 17/2/11; personal letter from GS to all members

Steve reported on:

  • Olympics - LU working party - deadline for agreement = 31/3
  • LU machinery of negotiation – more discussion required before accepting CMO machinery; outstanding issues on COO machinery tabled for Company Council – if no result there, then refer to ACAS
  • need to recruit drivers and challenge ASLEF
  • LU stations framework - referred to Company Council
  • LU station staff "line reserve" - referred to Company Council
  • bus workers - work with and try to improve Unite
  • LU pay - what is the mood for a fight?
  • Project Horizon: 20-25% of jobs to go
  • Support Services Review - 800 job cuts; 170 redundancies; 10 are RMT members

Points raised in discussion:

  • Yes to escalating dispute on victimisations to all drivers - hard work needed - consult and then discuss at train grades AGM
  • Vic line ballot - if any delay, letter to Vic Line members needed
  • size of delegation to TUC Black Workers' Conference
  • letters from employer to RMT HQ should be forwarded to RO / relevant reps
  • members taking part in strikes sent to LDI
  • legal challenge re part-timers
  • OT ban should be kept on for at least a few more weeks
  • LU machinery issue needs resolving
  • pay claim - enhancements for public holidays? discussion re enahncements vs consolidated pay

9. OTHER BUSINESS

  • Will R: LU to start recruiting drivers from station grades
  • Glenroy W: Keith Faulkner commemoration event