Regional Organiser's report: Job cuts, snow, CBS Outdoor and more ...

[1] The RMT held a protest today outside London Underground head offices to protest at the first wave of job cuts which comprises of 1000 jobs. Around thirty RMT activists turned out to demand that those responsible for running up the massive TfL/LU defecit of over £2.5 billion be sacked and not the workers who are being sacked because of senior management incompetence.

Having attended the meeting with managers to discuss the proposed job cuts, the RMT reps quickly became aware that the so-called consultation was nothing but a sham. Management are attempting to dismiss former Metronet employees "jobs for life" deal by lumping them into an unagreed 'organisational change programme'.This has a knock-on effect for all our Metronet staff.

Senior managers also refused to initiate the agreed health and safety procedures which state that the safety implications of each job must be evaluated in a process that includes our reps.

Most worryingly management tried to dictate who the RMT could or could not bring to the meeting.

As the above items constituted the first point on our agenda and were not agreed, the RMT and Unite both demanded that agreement was reached on them before we moved on.

NO agreement was achieved but management tried to bulldoze through their sham consultation whereupon we deemed management had abandoned the consultation process. We informed management that we are available for meaningful consultation whenever they are ready to abide by the agreed procedures.

A Metronet strike committee has been called for Friday to discuss balloting on the issues.

[2] At a meeting with Gerry Duffy about payment for those who could not get to work because of the snow, management claimed that local managers would be given discretion in paying those who could not get to work. The RMT would not be surprised if management were snowed under by a blizzard of local grievences.

[3] CBS Outdoor are trying to ban me from their premises for having the temerity to defend our sacked rep Brendan Judge. YOU elect your regional organiser not CBS. You HAVE ELECTED ME and until you de-elect me I will continue to give all our members including CBS members my full support.

[4] Management wish to change the machinery of negotiation. We are willing to listen to their proposals providing that they increase our representation on trains, stations, the SRT and service control. At the moment they are not even willing to discuss these items so why should we give them what they want with the machinery?

[5] We are being fobbed off on pay talks. The anniversary date for pay is April. We expect that date to be honoured. If it isn't there will be moves towards a ballot.

[6] London Overground workers are being balloted for industrial action on pay and conditions .Despite being taken under the TfL umbrella LOROL (London Overground Rail Operation Ltd) staff are working well below LUL terms and conditions .some staff are being paid as little as £14,000 a year.

[7] Willesden Green group will be balloted for action if there is not an immediate stop to the bullying and harassment of our reps and members by the local GSM.The manager in question is breaking proceedures and has already been moved once for similar behavior in the past.

[8] EDF strikes have been suspended for talks on the pay claim for 3,000 pounds.

[9] Encor engineers have won themselves a much improved deal by refusing to accept management's attempts to impose a new contract of employment and instead joining the RMT.