LUL Trains

“No plans in relation to preparing for the introduction of driverless train on London Underground” - Tube Lines

We note the correspondence from Tube Lines, stating that it has “no plans in relation to preparing for the introduction of driverless train on London Underground” and that “This is a matter for London Underground to determine”. We instruct the General Secretary to continue to press Tube Lines for information concerning its involvement in developing technology that may facilitate driverless trains or a reduction in the driver’s role.

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, that in practice, our level 2 and tier 2 reps for stations and revenue control (10 reps) and trains (6 reps) have full-time release; we note that additionally, there is a full-time-release representative for Upgrades for trains and for service control. In all other functions – engineering, fleet, MATS, and service control – level 2 and tier 2 representatives are released on an “as and when basis” which can amount to nearly full-time release in practice in some, but not all, cases.

We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd, and instruct the General Secretary to arrange for the appropriate officer(s) and representative(s) to attend the meeting suggested by LUL.

We further instruct the General Secretary to draft a list of issues and demands that we will raise at this meeting, and to place these in front of the GGC in advance of the meeting.

Any developments to be placed in front of us.

London Transport Regional Council, branches and representatives to be advised.

The RMT General Grades Committee has agreed to ballot for action short of strike action driver members on the Bakerloo and Central Lines for a safe procedure for detraining passengers.

This follows a joint meeting of RMT and ASLEF members held on Monday 22nd of October to discuss the detrainment procedure on the Bakerloo Line. The meeting was addressed by RMT Regional Organiser Brian Whitehead and ASLEF executive member Terry Wilkinson.

A Directors meeting took place on Wednesday 17th of October to discuss London Underground procedures following the near fatality of a 12 year old boy. Management stated that they were not prepared to ensure that trains were manually detrained prior to going into the sidings at Queens Park. They said that they would wait for the outcome of an Inquiry that is taking place but that will not report for months.

We note the resolutions from our London Transport Regional Council, and reiterate this union's complete opposition to driverless trains.

The main request of these resolutions – to ballot our test train and potentially other, drivers for industrial action – was dealt with by our decision of 25 September in response to a resolution from our LU Fleet branch.

As the largest trade union on London Underground, and the only union representing all grades on London Underground, RMT deeply regrets that no action has been taken following the GLA investigation into the state of the Tube.

In particular, RMT is deeply concerned that following the Union’s active engagement in the investigation, and the subsequent good faith with which we engaged the Olympics, that it now appears that our members are faced with an unprecedented assault.

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We note the views expressed by our representatives at our meeting on 8 October, and reaffirm the following industrial action, instructing our Victoria line driver members to:

1. NOT to recognise the imposed sensitive edge door procedure and to work the previous safer instruction. i.e. go back to the carriage concerned and physically check the cause of activation.
2. NOT to sign for the new Defective In Service Instruction (D.I.S.I.) handbook and not to recognise this as a condition of service and to work to the previous D.I.S.I. book.
   

We note the views expressed by our representatives held on Monday 8 October.

We therefore reaffirm our industrial action, and instruct the General Secretary to ensure:

1. a renewed effort to promote and explain the action to drivers.
2. regular updates from reps on developments.
3. an up-to-date list of platforms with disputed categorisation is produced.
4. our stations representatives produce publicity material for station staff, especially supervisors, on this issue and the union’s stance on it.

Any developments to be placed in front of us.

TUBE UNION RMT today praised the intervention of a Bakerloo Line tube driver which prevented a potential tragedy involving a 12 year old boy

The incident took place on Monday at 3.30 pm. The 12 year old boy was over-carried (on board the train after its final passenger stop) into the Queens Park sidings. Previously these trains used to be physically checked that they were empty prior to going into the sidings. RMT objected to the ending of detraining and said at the time that getting rid of detrainment staff was unsafe.