RMTV: Assistant General Secretary Pat Sikorski Discusses Arwyn & Eamonn Sacking Dispute

Submitted by Peter on 7 May, 2011 - 03:08

RMT has called a series of strikes on London Underground from May 16, 2011 in defence of Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas, two reps unfairly sacked for their trade union activities. Eamonn won his employment tribunal shortly after this interview with RMT assistant general secretary Pat Sikorski was filmed. Arwyn has won his interim relief hearing which ruled on the 'likelihood' that his full tribunal is likely to rule in his favour. Yet London Underground stubbornly refuses to budge and re-instate these men.

Additional press statement re Arwyn and Eamonn following erroneous report in tonight's Standard

Submitted by Admin on 6 May, 2011 - 18:23

RMT wants to make it absolutely clear that the victimisation cases of Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas are totally interlinked and that our days of strike action have been announced to secure the reinstatement of both members who have been unfairly sacked for their trade union activities.

We have now won three tribunal rulings in a row proving unfair dismissal and despite bogus reports to the contrary we are seeking an urgent meeting with LUL to discuss a timetable for getting both colleagues back to work and doing the job that they are being paid to do and that's driving tube trains.

Unfairly Dismissed: Eamonn Lynch Employment Tribunal Findings

Submitted by Peter on 6 May, 2011 - 14:14

Eamonn Lynch's employment tribunal findings are now available.

"The Tribunal unanimously found that Eamonn had been unfairly dismissed and more importantly, automatically unfairly dismissed on grounds of his health and safety and trade union duties and activities."

"It was found that the fact that he was a health and safety committee member prayed heavily on the minds of the disciplinary panel"

"The tribunal concluded the dismissal was far too harsh a sanction and that no reasonable employer would have decided dismissing Mr Lynch was proportionate."

Click read more to get more detail from the employment tribunal findings. A scan of the findings in full is attached.

Eamonn Lynch: Employment Tribunal Decision in Full

Submitted by Janine on 6 May, 2011 - 13:21

Click '1 attachment' / file name to read the full decision by the Employment Tribunal, which upheld Eamonn's complaint of unfair dismissal on the grounds of trade union activities.

As outlined by our solicitors, the key aspects of the judgment are:

(1) The Tribunal unanimously found that Eamonn had been unfairly dismissed and more importantly, automatically unfairly dismissed on grounds of his health and safety and trade union duties and activities.

Sacked Tube Driver Eamonn Lynch Wins Unfair Dismissal Case at Tribunal

Submitted by Admin on 6 May, 2011 - 08:00

FROM RMT PRESS OFFICE

SACKED TUBE DRIVER AT HEART OF DISPUTE WINS EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL CASE FOR UNFAIR DISMISSAL ON GROUNDS OF UNION ACTIVITES

RMT DEMANDS URGENT MEETING WITH LONDON UNDERGROUND TO NOW END VICTIMISATIONS DISPUTE AND AVOID PLUNGING LONDON INTO STRIKE CHAOS

Tube union RMT confirmed today that sacked Bakerloo Line tube driver Eamonn Lynch has won his employment tribunal case for unfair dismissal on the grounds of trade union activities. Eamonn Lynch's is one of two unfair dismissal cases that sparked this weeks announcement of ten days of tube strike action.

RMT Names Strike Dates in Victimisation Dispute

Submitted by Admin on 5 May, 2011 - 13:48

RMT GGC decision (extract):

Following consultation with our representatives, we call strike action as follows:

All London Underground train driver members are instructed not to book on for any duty that commences:

  • between 21:01 on Monday 16 May and 11:59 on Tuesday 17 May
  • between 12:00 on Wednesday 18 May and 11:59 on Thursday 19 May
  • between 12:00 on Friday 20 May and 21:00 on Friday 20 May

All London Underground train driver members are further instructed not to book on for any duty that commences:

RMT blasts “AV diversion” as reports show a further half million jobs under threat

Submitted by Peter on 5 May, 2011 - 01:01

With more data out this morning showing that another half a million jobs are under threat, and that family budgets have been slashed by nearly a thousand pounds a year as a result of ConDem cuts, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow has accused the political class, led by Nick Clegg and David Cameron, of setting up this week’s AV referendum vote in a deliberate attempt to divert attention from harsh economic realities.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said,

This strike is about victimisations of RMT activists! Tribunal rulings attached.

Submitted by Joffe on 4 May, 2011 - 13:59

Boris Johnson has condemned RMT's campaign to overturn the illegal sackings of trade union reps as "idiotic ... even by the grim standards of the RMT leadership, the series of strikes they are now seeking to inflict on their members and fellow Londoners are unbelievable".