Council of Executives report, 27 January

Submitted by Janine on 26 January, 2011 - 23:00
  • I have been appointed to the following Executive subcommittees - Equal Rights, Olympics, General Finance, Staffing, Health & Safety
  • RMT grades and equalities conferences will be taking place over the next few months - all branches, please send delegates and resolutions
  • Black & Ethnic Minority Members Advisory Committee has agreed to organise an anti-slavery event in September - series of talks on various aspects of past and modern slavery, followed by evening concert

High Court Injunction Against DLR Strike

Submitted by Admin on 26 January, 2011 - 21:56

From Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary:

I write to advise branches that last week the High Court granted Serco Docklands an injunction preventing RMT from organising a 48 hour strike on the Docklands Light Railway. Yet again an employer has run to a High Court Judge to use the Anti trade union laws to ignore the democratic will of members. This decision has ramifications not just for RMT but across the whole Trade Union Movement and is the latest of a long line of high court decisions against trade unions.

RMT Continues Campaign Against Victimisations

Submitted by Admin on 25 January, 2011 - 19:25

RMT General Grades Committee decision ...

That we welcome the decision of the Employment Tribunal to award Interim Relief to Brother Thomas, which reaffirms this union’s belief that London Underground dismissed him because of his trade union activities. Given LU’s dismissals of Eamonn Lynch – who also won his Interim Relief application – and Peter Hartshorn, we can see a concerted anti-union campaign by the employer that must be met by a concerted campaign in defence of our union and its representatives and activists.

Is London Underground Discriminating Against Part-Time Staff?

Submitted by Admin on 25 January, 2011 - 18:05

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note that London Underground has issued notices displacing full-time staff only within the group of stations in which they currently work, but has issued notices displacing part-time staff to locations beyond their current group of stations, in some cases some distance away. It also intends to alter the working hours of some part-time staff in a way that is detrimental to them. The company has also failed to adequately consider part-time workers in its Equality Impact Assessment. We believe that London Underground may be acting in breach of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations.

London Underground Confirms Sacking of Eamonn Lynch

Submitted by Admin on 25 January, 2011 - 17:09

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we are disgusted by London Underground’s refusal to reinstate Eamonn Lynch despite the obvious injustice of his dismissal and the success of his Interim Relief application. We seek the views of the Bakerloo branch and refer this matter to our Southern Sub-Committee for examination and report.

There is a further relevant decision here.

RMT wins second interim hearing over victimisation of LU train operator on grounds of trade union activities

Submitted by Admin on 25 January, 2011 - 12:42

TUBE UNION RMT today demanded an end to London Undergound’s campaign of bullying and harassment of union activists as the organisation won a second “interim relief” hearing at the Employment Tribunal in Croydon yesterday in the case of sacked Northern Line train operator Arwyn Thomas.

RMT calls for ORR investigation as LU cuts leave stations unstaffed again at weekend and infrastructure failure leads to rush hour chaos

Submitted by Admin on 24 January, 2011 - 17:00

TUBE UNION RMT today called for a full ORR investigation into breaches of safety on London Underground after the union’s safety reps revealed that stations along the Central Line were left unstaffed last night due to cuts-led staff shortages.

The news, coming just a week after a brutal assault at unstaffed West Finchey station, nails the lie, repeated by Mayor Boris Johnson and his senior officials on a regular basis that “no station will be left unstaffed at any time” as a result of their cuts.

RMT Organises Workers in Carlisle Cleaning and Support Services

Submitted by Admin on 24 January, 2011 - 17:00

RMT's General Grades Committee has agreed a detailed campaign to organise workers in Carlisle Cleaning and Support Services. This is a national campaign, which will initially start outside our Region. However, it is relevant to our Region, as Carlisle holds contracts in London Transport, including TfL/LU secruity staff and Docklands Light Railway cleaners.

Here is the full GGC decision:

RMT Denounces LU's Sacking of Another Rep

Submitted by Admin on 24 January, 2011 - 13:31

Extract from the RMT General Grades Committee's decision on Wednesday 19 January, the day that London Underground sacked our Green Park group rep, Peter Hartshorn ...

We are disgusted to hear that London Underground has summarily dismissed our representative Peter Hartshorn on trumped up charges of swearing at a manager despite witnesses stating otherwise. The alleged incident took place while Peter was carrying out trade union duties and it is clear that the company has victimised him for his activities as a representative of this union.

Urgent appeal: Jailed woman trade union leader in Bangladesh

Submitted by Janine on 21 January, 2011 - 16:27

From LabourStart ...

It has now been more than five weeks since the illegal arrest of Moshrefa Mishu, President of the Garment Workers Unity Forum in Bangladesh (pictured).

There was no warrant for her arrest at the time that heavily-armed plainclothes officers took her off to jail, where she remains - in poor health and badly treated.

Her real crime was leading a protest campaign to demand the implementation of the legal minimum wage.