As London Underground management move staff around like pawns to cover for their own deliberate under-staffing of stations, our new issue of 'RMT Platform' tells you exactly what your rights are, and how to stop management abusing them.
Click '1 attachment' / file name to download. Pleast distribute widely.
From Steve Hedley, RMT Regional Organiser
Dear colleagues,
I wrote to Gerry Duffy, Director of Employee Relations yesterday because of serious safety concerns that have led many drivers to refuse to work on safety grounds. Amongst the drivers concerns are the absence of Emergency Response Unit staff who cover the whole network and signalling technicians who cover the Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines.
1. Tube Lines has failed in its attempt to get the High Court to grant an injunction banning the Tube Lines Strike.
2. Click 'read more' to read RMT's response to London Underground circular erroneously claiming that the Emergency Response Unit will be available as normal.
TRANSPORT UNION RMT today slammed what it described as “the ConDem’s budget for the rich” – warning of widespread community and industrial resistance once people realise the full scale of the impact of the Government’s cuts plans for public services and the true cost for jobs and standards of living.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:
Tube Lines are responsible for the Emergency Response Unit that covers the entire network and is fundamental to the safe running of London Underground. To ensure your own safety and that of others during the period of industrial action you are advised to approach your management prior to carrying out your duties for assurances that a safe system of work is in place.
TUBE UNION RMT tonight condemned “lethal and unworkable” plans leaked to the BBC from within the GLA Tory Group to axe all train drivers and operators on London Underground and to move the entire tube system to a driverless operation.
The leaked report, confirmed as being under discussion by the GLA Tories and which London Tory Mayor Boris Johnson is aware of, recommends sacking all of the 3,525 train drivers and operators estimating that it could result in savings of £141 million per annum.
Note that the date has been rearranged due to practical difficulties with holding the meeting during the Tube Lines strike.
Venue: Exmouth Arms, Star Cross Street, London NW1
Following a request by a majority of Branch Secretaries in the Region, an emergency meeting of the London Transport Regional Council will be held to discuss current disputes within the region.
Agenda 1. Apologies for absence 2. Disputes:
TUBE UNION RMT today issued a renewed call for London Mayor Boris Johnson to “get out of the bunker and start talking” as the clock ticks down towards two 48 hour strikes called by the union in defence of jobs, pay and working conditions on Tube Lines starting next Wednesday.
RMT have warned that the threat to tube maintenance jobs will have serious safety consequences with the union already compiling evidence that repairs and renewals schedules are being hacked to pieces in the dash to slash budgets.
The Conservative group on the London Assembly have sent a memo to Mayor Boris Johnson detailing how they believe an underground system without drivers would provide a world class mass transit system.
The conservative group believe the underground would be better with an increased number of faster trains, more customers but less staff (sound familiar?). They claim that the acquisition of Tube Lines by London Underground is the perfect time to ditch drivers.