It seems that some local managers feel that they can impose "local sickness reporting policies" that are outside LUL's Attendance at Work policy, and which further tighten the screw on sick staff. Your RMT reps want to put a stop to this abuse of staff, and need you to tell us if this happens in your area.

At the Stations & Revenue Council today (11 December), we dealt with one such case, from Acton Town group, and LUL management agreed that the local 'guideline' should be withdrawn pending further consultation to bring it in line with LUL policy. Our local reps had objected to the 'guideline' and Stations & Revenue Council reps shared these objections, which included the facts that it:

• stated that Station Supervisors would make contact arrangements with sick staff, when this is a manager's job;
• stated that staff would be called in for a meeting after 14 days off sick, whereas LUL policy states 28 days (or when there is evidence eg. a medical certificate, that the sickness will last 28+ days);
• stated that staff will sign a consent form at this meeting, overlooking that consent is something that should be given willingly not under instruction.

There will now be a further meeting on Acton Town group with Stations & Revenue Council trade union reps and an Employee Relations Manager present.

Your reps argued that there should be no local policies on sickness reporting, as the company policy - which is already too harsh - does not need supplementing with even harsher, even contradictory, rules. Management disagreed. Then we argued that if there are to be local sickness reporting policies, then they should at least come to the Stations & Revenue Council for ratification, to ensure that they do not contradict LUL policy as Acton Town's does. Again, management refused, and insisted that these matters be dealt with as they arise on local groups.

So we are asking our local reps and members to tell us if your local group's management is trying anything like this. If they are, please email Janine Booth.