Regional Council July Meeting Reports And Resolutions

Regional Organiser Steve Hedley's and Executive Member Janine Booth's report Summary

CLEANERS AND SECURITY STAFF
strike action on ISS and Initial (LU) and Carlisle (DLR), 48 hours starting with early shifts tomorrow, Friday 27 July pickets/protest – list on separate sheet; central picket/leafleting 12 noon, Friday 27 July picket packs/leaflets/stickers – available at Regional Council meeting

Initial legal threat - RMT defending our action against this spurious and vindictive threat

Disputes Fund payments - request to be considered by Council of Executives, 30 July online campaign

TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
Next strike action now of all members in recognised departments, for 24 hours from 07:00 Friday 3 August RMT has declared dispute with TfL over failure to make pay offer, due 1 April 2012

CYCLE HIRE SCHEME
48-hour strike called, but now suspended discussions at TUC re activities of another union

OLYMPICS (OTHER)
ballot result Emcor tomorrow payments etc agreed with various companies, summarised in current issue of RMT London Calling

Olympic security – RMT has written to companies asking for mitigations re security fiasco; also circulated all members advice on refusal to work on safety grounds laid-off contract workers – RMT demanded that work be found for contract workers laid off from usual work; 200 so far, more currently being addressed.

London Underground
action short - do not work outside job description, starting 00:01 Friday 27 July, until further notice

RMT London Calling – 2x special issues produced

CASUALISATION AND FUTURE JOB CUTS, LONDON UNDERGROUND

ICSAs: action short – details circulated, and in RMT London Calling - need to step up action agency staff:

TrainPeople – GGC to discuss and agree national strategy agency staff: legal advice that staff travel may be covered by Agency Workers Regulations

latest leaked document – automated maintenance, mobile station staff, ticket office closures, driverless trains, remote operation current/imminent changes in eg. train operation on Jubilee, Northern lines; mobile station supervision need strategy: don't wait for cuts to be announced; step up action on immediate issues; demand guarantees; defend every job; positive vision of future Tube (workers’ and passengers’ plan); public/political campaign; industrial action; defend every job/condition; build fighting fund; discussion in every branch and grades committee; roadshow round workplaces

TUBE LINES
Olympics agreement accepted by AGM pensions and passes dispute: reps’ meeting on 23 July agreed that action needs to be put back on; further meeting tomorrow will agree recommendation as to when/how

LU SERVICE CONTROL
calling of 3-day strike won significant victory includes lifetime protection of earnings follow-up recruitment/organising campaign

NEW RMT RECOGNITION AGREEMENTS

Thales Signalling Solutions Vinci cleaners STM (London Overground) update on Sodexo application for recognition

EQUALITIES
Disability RMT public meeting on lack of disabled access to London Transport, around the time of the Paralympics (probably 28 August), jointly with TUC, Transport for All, Disabled People Against Cuts RMT/WEA Autism at Work briefing day, Friday 19 October - see flyers Black & ethnic minority members

Council of Executives decisions on:
Women
weekend training at Doncaster Education Centre before end of 2012, then regionally successful East End women’s history walk held 23 June RMT supporting ‘Matchfest’ – festival celebrating 125th anniversary of the Matchwomen’s strike in 2013 LTRC posters and badges to be produced nationally domestic violence campaign

LGBT
activities of ‘gay cure’ homophobes
campaigning on international LGBT rights
newsletter
Pride

LEGAL
government response to Criminal Injuries Compensation consultation is to ignore it and press ahead with excluding many rail workers and others; currently trying to establish whether there will be a vote in Parliament

legal threats
following successful appeals from branches to C of E, legal representation to be provided to Elaine Holness and Laura Sonny implications of Mihaj vs Sodexo ET victory ET changes – implications for union finances

ACTION FOR RAIL / SOS: STAFF OUR STATIONS verbal report to be given LONDON UNDERGROUND machinery review new disciplinary procedure

OTHER Croydon Tramlink - issue with staff working too close to live rail Film show: the Navigators took place Tuesday 24 July, well-attended TUC Organising Award – won by Darren Arnold TUC demonstration against austerity cuts, 20 October

Motions

  1. time it is taking to produce matrices for notifications of Industrial action
    We are frustrated by the length of time it is taking to produce matrices for notifications of Industrial action
    ballots ( (eg) for current /recent ballots on TFL,ISS, and Initial) which costs our Union momentum, morale and
    effectiveness in those disputes. We ask the Council Of Executives to investigate how this process can be conducted in a more timely manner.

  2. Spanish Miners
    "This Union supports the heroic strike of miners in northern Spain. 8,000 jobs and the possible destruction of the industry are at stake.

    The miners fight is a direct challenge to the austerity programme of the right wing Spanish Government of Mariano Rajoy; with 25% unemployment (50% youth unemployment) the Government continues to cut pensions, jobs, health and education.

    We resolve to give all the political and financial support that we can as a trade union in the spirit of international solidarity"
    Notes:

    1. The indefinite strike by coal miners in northern Spain against government cuts, which started on 29th May, will mean the end of their industry, the loss of 8,000 pit jobs and thousands more in mining communities.
    2. This fight is a direct challenge to the austerity drive of the “Tory” Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy; when nearly 25% are without jobs, Rajoy’s government continues to cut pensions, health and education.
    3. The strike is 100% solid despite state repression and is building support through one
      day regional general stikes, demonstrations (including a march on Madrid), stay-down actions at several collieries and protests by women from the mining regions.
    4. The Spanish miners urgently need the political and financial support from the European trade union movement.
    5. The recently set up UK-based solidarity campaign, the Spanish Miners’ Solidarity Committee, which is officially recognised by both the Spanish union federations (CCOO and UGT) organising the miners
      Resolves:
      1. To sign the statement of support being circulated by the SMSC-UK (at http://smscuk.blogspot.co.uk/).
      2. To send a donation of [x], a cheque payable to the “Spanish Miners’ Solidarity Committee”.

    Further information:
    To work out number of weeks miners have been on strike count forwards from 29 May when the all-out action began.

    Address of Spanish Miners’ Soldarity Committee is 136 Regent Court, Bradfield Road, Sheffield, S6 2BW.

    Downloadable leaflet available from here. Also posters to buy.
    Email: SMSC@talktalk.net

  3. LOBBY OF TUC SEPTEMBER 9 2012
    "This Union agrees to support the lobby of the TUC on September 9th which will be calling on the TUC to organise a general strike against austerity and Government cuts.
    We agree to make funds available to facilitate travel for those wishing to attend the lobby in Brighton"

  4. PMA
    This region notes that an e-mail has come to light where a PMA has overruled the decision taken by the chair of a CDI panel and imposed a more serious sanction. This is in breach of the LUL disciplinary procedure and contrary to written guarantees given by Gerry Duffy to Bob Crow. It proves our long-standing suspicions that such interference takes place. It also throws the entire procedure into disrepute.

    This region is dismayed, though not surprised, to learn about this abuse of procedure and requests that the General Secretary contacts LUL’s ER department with the following demands:
    All disciplinaries are postponed until a full investigation is carried out.

    That the PMA involved has no further involvement with disciplinaries.
    A review of all sanctions and PMA involvement in them since the procedure was introduced.

    PMAs are no longer allowed to sit in on disciplinaries.