Defending jobs

Opposing cuts in staffing levels and jobs

Joint Communication sent by: RMT; UNITE; TSSA and ASLEF to LU Employees impacted by Support Services Review

leafletClick '1 attachment' to download this as a PDF.

Following various meeting the Trade Unions have held with London Underground, we feel it would be beneficial to update you on the current situation in respect of Assessment & Selection and also awareness of the implications of applying for the Non Permanent Roles listed by LU.

Assessment & Selection

'Target Stations': leafleting against staffing cuts

RMT members and supporters will be leafleting passengers at several London stations on Friday morning from 8am. We will be dishing out thousands of leaflets explaining our case against cuts in London Underground staffing, and asking people to make their opposition known by sending off a 'protest postcard'. Please join us at one of the following stations: Earls Court, Finsbury Park, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Manor House, Oxford Circus, Victoria

The Truth is Out There

The article below appears in the financial pages of the Guardian.

RMT Executive member Olly New said, "Just sometimes - you get a bit of truth from the media. This article from the financial pages of the Guardian makes it clear that the 800 LUL job cuts are only the beginning of a drive to re-structure LUL, cut more jobs and attack trade unionism. This is about investment funding and planned Government cuts to transport and the rest of public services. LUL’s statements about Oyster cards being the reason for the cuts is so much rubbish.

'Transport For All' Concerned About Effect of LUL Job Losses On Elderly Passengers And Those With Disabilities

Transport for All, a disability and elderly persons charity has wriiten a letter to the Evening Standard detailing their concerns about front line job losses at London Underground. Lianna Etkind, Campaign and Outreach Co-ordinator of the charity writes "We are extremely concerned about the effect of these cuts on elderly and disabled Londoners.'

Euston Station Passengers To Be Warned of Staff Cuts Safety Risks Following Undetected Fire Beneath Escalator

Aftermath of the King's Cross fire
(A picture of a Dalmatian)

TUBE UNION RMT is to leaflet rush-hour passengers at Euston station this Wednesday morning over cuts to safety and safety-critical jobs following revelations that fire detection systems at the station failed last month creating the potential for a major disaster that was only avoided by the actions of a vigilant member of station staff.

RMT also confirmed today that it has written to London Underground requesting that all fire detection equipment at sub-surface stations be inspected within the next 72 hours under Section 12 Fire Regulations which were introduced after Kings Cross.

Tube Fleet Maintenance Staff To Be Balloted For Action as London Underground Doubles Time Between Crucial Safety Inspections

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it is preparing a ballot for action of all tube fleet maintenance staff following an announcement by London Underground that they plan to double the length of time between safety-critical train inspections from 14 days to 28 days.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: “Hardly a day goes by now without TfL and LU getting caught out playing fast and loose with staff and passenger safety. These fortnightly inspections identify worn brake blocks, cracks in securing brackets and other distressed components. Moving these inspections to monthly is literally dicing with death in the interests of saving money.

Survey Suggests LGBT People Feel Unsafe on Public Transport

Research by several organisations across London has found that LGBT people fear for their safety on public transport including the tube and that there is a higher incident of assault - both verbal and physical - on public transport than there is in other public areas.

The British Transport Police state ‘For passengers, feeling safe is as important as being safe. The visible presence of rail staff, PCSOs and police officers can reduce the fear of crime dramatically.’

With these figures showing how LGBT people feel about travel on the underground, it should be considered that many LGBT people will feel more at risk of assault on the underground as staff cuts will inevitably mean the reduction of staff visibility.

Resolution to Regional Council: Operational Refresher Training

The following resolution, submitted by Finsbury Park branch, was carried unanimously by the July meeting of the Regional Council ...

This region calls on the national union to hold a conference of all grades within the LTRC to discuss significant concerns our members have regarding the reduction and quality of our operational refresher training. We believe this is an attack on the value of our jobs and on safety.

Train Operators - How Have Station Staff Assisted You?

We are collecting accounts of how station staff assist train operators. This information will help the RMT's case against cuts in the number of station staff.

Perhaps you had a customer ill on a train and needed assistance, needed to detrain during the peak or where given safety critical information by a member of station staff?

You can complete the survey by clicking go to form below.

Companies and grades: 

Station Staff Survey: Short-Staffing On London Underground


The RMT London Transport Region is collecting stories of working alone or with too few staff on London Underground stations. You can complete the survey by clicking go to form below.

You can leave your name and email address, which will be kept entirely confidential and will allow us to contact you for more information. You can alternatively leave these blank if you prefer.

Companies and grades: