LUL Trains

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the correspondence from London Underground and the report from our Regional Organiser.

We are very concerned that the role of the recently-reorganised duty manager grades in the grievance procedure will see grievances dealt with only within the driver’s own depot, and that in many cases, the grievance will not even reach the Train Operations Manager (TOM). This represents a devaluation of the grievance process, and will inevitably lead to genuine and serious grievances not being dealt with properly.

Click on the attachment to see the latest RMT up front.

Lead story follows:

Vote YES to stop the victimisations of LU drivers!
RMT has served notice to London Underground that we are balloting all drivers on the combine over the victimisations of Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas.
Since Eamonn’s and Arwyn’s dismissals last year train drivers on the Bakerloo Line and at Morden depots have taken two days strike action for their reinstatement.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the correspondence from London Underground on this matter, and also note that London Underground has sent a letter by post to Victoria Line drivers defending its actions on these important safety matters and attacking our dispute. This underlines the importance of our previous decision that this union will send a letter by post to all our Victoria Line driver members outlining our stance on these issues, which is to be implemented without further delay. Email and text communication are to be used to promote this union’s ballot and industrial action, but not to substitute for letters by post when specifically instructed by the GGC.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note with disappointment and disgust that London Underground's directors' review has upheld the sacking of Arwyn Thomas. This is despite the fact that the Employment Tribunal awarded Arwyn Interim Relief and found that LU had sacked him unfairly due to his trade union activities. It is appalling that LU apparently feels that it is above the law, and that Tribunals does not have the power to compel an employer to re-employ a worker sacked unfairly.

To all Train Operators and Instructor Operators on the Victoria Line, from Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary:

Dear Colleagues,

BREAKDOWN OF MACHINERY OF NEGOTIATION: VICTORIA LINE UPGRADE SAFETY AND TRAINING ISSUES- LONDON UNDERGROUND

Further to my letter dated 27th January 2011 regarding the issues over Sensitive Edge Activation, a number of other issues have been bought to my attention concerning the Victoria Line Upgrade. The General Grades Committee has considered this matter and taken the decision to ballot all Victoria Line Train Operator members for industrial action short of a strike with a view to protecting you from being forced to work unsafely and unfairly blamed for accidents.

The RMT train grades has produced the attached poster for noticeboards in train depots. Click on the attachment to download.

General Grades Committee decision:

That we note the resolution from our Finsbury Park branch and accept its proposal. We therefore instruct the General Secretary to conduct the ballot of our Victoria Line driver members for action short of strikes as soon as practical, with the title “Breakdown of machinery of negotiation: Victoria Line upgrade safety and training issues”.

RMT General Grades Committee decision on DISI:

That we note and accept the report from our lead officer for London Underground. Accordingly, we instruct the General Secretary to issue as soon as possible a circular with the following wording:

RMT is completely opposed to section 2.2 of version 3 of the D.I.S.I. that states “Generally the train operator will be the most appropriate person to assess the defect. However in some cases the controller may decide to arrange for somebody else to attend the train and carry out the assessment.”

Click on the attachment to down load the lastest Bakerloo Branch newsletter.

Main stories follow:
Double standards exposed
Since RMT health & safety rep, Eamonn Lynch’s dismissal in October, train drivers on the Bakerloo Line have taken two days strike action for his reinstatement. The issue is now being dealt with at ACAS and the RMT’s General Grades Committee has agreed to escalate the dispute to every train depot on the combine.

RMT General Grades Committee decision today:

We note that our Regional Council has voted unanimously that it wishes to escalate our battle for the reinstatement of our sacked driver reps Eamonn Lynch and Arwyn Thomas to a strike ballot of all London Underground driver members. Our driver reps and members see these sackings as part of a concerted disciplinary clampdown against drivers across London Underground and as an attempt by LUL to weaken RMT’s organisation among train grades.