12th March 2021

TO ALL SERVICE CONTROLLERS AT OSBORNE HOUSE

Dear Colleagues,

VICTIMISATION, IAN NORRIS, SERVICE CONTROLLER, OSBORNE HOUSE - LONDON UNDERGROUND

I have received a resolution from our Finsbury Park Branch raising grave concerns over the treatment meted out by management to your RMT Representative, Brother Norris. The concerted efforts of management against Ian led to disciplinary proceedings being taken against him.

Over the past eighteen months Brother Norris has had to enter three grievances, all of which have been upheld following investigation and include detrimental treatment for being your union Representative. Ian is now faced with trumped up charges that includes a breach of the code of conduct regarding the normal duty hours. The code of conduct has not been breached and if they have an argument to make that it has, their new interpretation will need to be applied to all Service Control staff, not just Brother Norris.

In September 2020, an ACAS despite resolution was agreed between your union and LUL on two main issues, an agreed way of managing the roster in line with other control rooms, and a commitment to improving relations between management and staff.

The spurious disciplinary action management are pursuing will breach the dispute resolution agreement, and the commitment to 'relationship building' may have helped avert the accusations that have been made about Brother Norris, however they never took place despite your union's repeated requests.

Your National Executive Committee has met to consider the resolution and placed on record their thanks to Brother Norris for his commitment in representing members at Osborne House and extended their full support in fighting the completely unwarranted disciplinary action taken by LUL management.

The threat of disciplinary sanction is considered an act of harassment against Brother Norris and threatens to undermine all the attempts to resolve the issues around rostering at Osborne House. Once the disciplinary hearing has taken place a report on the outcome will be placed back before your NEC.

I trust this keeps you fully advised and I will update you on all further developments.

Yours sincerely,

Mick Cash
General Secretary