RMT and TSSA may be near to getting a resolution for the long-running mistreatment of former Prestige Coaches.

In 2000, LUL appointed over 30 SAMF Coaches to become ‘Prestige Coaches’ for a secondment expected to last around a year. But the implementation of the shiny new Prestige project turned into a nightmare, and the one-year ‘secondment’ turned into a five-year job. At the end of it, LUL unceremoniously booted the Coaches back to their former grade (although some have been able to take up other posts).

During their time as Prestige coaches, they were paid at Station Supervisor rate, so being busted back to SAMF Coach is quite a downgrading. If a job goes on for five years, we believe that it is no longer a secondment but a substantive promotion, so these staff should be displaced into a similarly-paid grade rather than sent back to their old one.

RMT believes that having helped management with a flagship project, and foregone other promotion opportunities during their five years at Prestige, these staff deserve far better than the shabby treatment they have received. Representatives from both unions met with LUL at director level last week, and will get a response from the company this week.