Defending activists

London Underground Sodexo staff balloted in union victimisation dispute

Staff working for London Underground caterers Sodexo are to be balloted for both strike action and action short of a strike over the victimisation and dismissal of union activist Petrit Mihaj.

Petrit has been a major force in building union organisation on the LUL Sodexo depot catering contract and has been instrumental in securing union recognition and delivering improvements in pay and conditions and effective representation of staff.

From RMT Senior Assistant General Secretary Mick Cash

The following resolution has been received from London Transport Regional Council:

“This Regional Council condemns the arrest by BTP of Mark Harding, the RMT Branch Secretary of Hammersmith & City Branch. Mark was arrested despite only carrying out legitimate trade union activities whilst on the picket line outside his place of work.

We note the resolution from the London Transport Regional Council and wholeheartedly agree that the arrest by BTP of Mark Harding, the RMT Branch Secretary of Hammersmith & City Branch was a travesty of civil of liberties. Bro Harding was arrested despite only carrying out legitimate trade union activities whilst on the picket line outside his place of work. We agree that his detention for nearly 13 hours and the draconian bail conditions imposed were extreme to say the least.

RMT Paddington No.1 branch meeting this afternoon (Friday, 7 February 2014) was attended by 40 RMT members who carried the following resolution unanimously:

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, and understand that there have been further developments since this was submitted. We instruct the General Secretary to obtain and place in front of us an up-to-date report.

London Transport Regional Council, LU Fleet branch, and London Underground cleaners’ representatives to be advised.

We note that Initial has issued Sister Osagiede with a written warning and that she is appealing this decision.

We further note that Initial is, separately from the disciplinary sanction, attempting to relocate Sister Osagiede to Aldgate station. This is unacceptable to Sister Osagiede and to RMT, as:
• Clara is contracted to Hainault depot
• There is now no impediment to Clara returning to Hainault depot as management's investigation is completed
• Clara has had her disciplinary and received a written warning, not any decision to change her work location

The Bakerloo Branch agreed the following resolution for the attention of the RMT's General Grades Committee.

“This branch notes the appalling treatment of our young member and activist Brother Jayesh Patel at the hands of LU. Bro Patel was acting in the interests of safety when he requested ‘assisted despatch’ at two overcrowded stations on 1st of February 2013. This branch is amazed that as a result of carrying out these actions he was told to detrain and run out of service. Worse still he was instructed to attend a location away from his home depot to participate in a fact finding. Unfortunately the fact finding interview turned into a Gestapo interrogation where our member was denied the right to ask questions, denied the right to have physical break and denied to go home after his booking off time. Worse, this branch notes that since this time LU have added insult to injury and have stood down him down from that date.