The above matter has been considered again by the General Grades Committee and has made the following decision:-

Click on the attachment to download the latest RMT Platform newsletter detailing the attacks on Station Jobs revealed in the leaked documents on LU 's 'Operational Strategy'.

Here is the May Issue after a few editorial changes (due to outside influences picking on me ;) )

Report to RMT stations representatives from Janine Booth

Summary:

• London Underground does not consider the needs of equalities groups when calculating its station staffing levels.
• LU's methods for collecting information, categorising passenger journeys and assessing data are deeply flawed and fail to account for equality issues.
  

Ticket Office Service Survey

As part of the ACAS Ticket Office review we need information on how the new Ticket Office hours and resulting impact on the ticket service is affecting your station. It is imperative that we get detailed information to assist us with the case that the TU’s are arguing for re-instatement of opening hours and additional windows. We would ask that our members keep a diary of the information requested below and forward to us any relevant information. Additionally we require any other information you may have which indicates that the new Ticket Office service is inadequate or having a negative impact on customer service. If there are any supporting documentation eg. EIRF then please let us know.

Extract from RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We also note that reports have been placed on the file giving updates on the Reviews of the Operational Strategic Plan (OSP) being held under the auspices of ACAS. We believe that, two months after the implementation of the OSP, we now need to assess the progress of these Reviews. We therefore instruct the General Secretary to convene a meeting with our Regional Organiser and our representatives involved in the Reviews as soon as practical, and to place this matter back in front of us following this meeting.

In light of discussions so far at the Equality review, London Underground has revised its Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) for staff only. (We have asked the company to also revise its EqIA for passengers.)

The new EqIA table for staff:
1. considers only displacement, not any other aspect of the job-cutting OSP, and how these may affect equality groups
2. only considers whether various equality groups are more likely to have been displaced, not any other aspect of displacement, eg. increased travelling time, less suitable work location, and whether this may have a disproportionate effect on equality groups
3. uses a faulty calculation of “tolerance” which enables it to overlook significant impacts on equality groups
4. reveals a significantly disproportionate effect of displacement on some women and some ethnic minority and faith groups
5. proposes to do nothing to rectify the negative impact on black and ethnic minority staff or on members of faith groups
6. considers only minor mitigations in its action plan, which will have very little effect, will not undo any damage done, and crucially, does not even consider restoring any cut jobs

All members are reminded that the ‘Action short of strike’ is still in place, consisting of:
- refusal of any higher grade working other than in the ticket office
- no overtime
- boycott of the policy of £5 minimum Oyster top-up.

Report by RMT Stations & Revenue Council rep John Kelly. Read the text below. Click '1 attachment' / file name to download it as a Word document.

RMT (and TSSA) reps met London Underground management on Monday 21 March as part of the Equality review of the OSP (job cuts). Report from RMT Council of Executives member Janine Booth,

From Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary:

I am concerned that, following the implementation of new rosters as part of the Operational Strategic Plan (OSP) and its consequent job cuts, London Underground staff may have increased anxieties about workplace health and safety. With this is mind, as well as any future job cuts under LUL’s Project Horizon, I have made arrangements to set up a confidential reporting line for our London Underground members. I would like to use this reporting mechanism to compile evidence to present to the relevant authorities, Transport for London and the Mayor of London.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

That we note that London Underground has issued notices displacing full-time staff only within the group of stations in which they currently work, but has issued notices displacing part-time staff to locations beyond their current group of stations, in some cases some distance away. It also intends to alter the working hours of some part-time staff in a way that is detrimental to them. The company has also failed to adequately consider part-time workers in its Equality Impact Assessment. We believe that London Underground may be acting in breach of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations.

As a public body, London Underground has to carry out an assessment of the impact of any new policy on various equality issues. The attached file is LU's Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for its current OSP (policy of cutting 800 mainly-stations jobs). Below is the response to this document that I have written on behalf of RMT.

WHY WE ARE STRIKING: TO DEFEND SERVICES, SAFETY AND JOBS

London Underground plans to:

• get rid of around 800 station staff posts
• reduce ticket office opening times by around 7,500 hours
• carry out essential maintenance checks on trains every four weeks instead of every two weeks
• cut the number of train drivers’ posts

Tube trade unions RMT and TSSA have tried for months to persuade London Underground to scrap these unnecessary and dangerous cuts. We have spent hours in talks, have lobbied politicians, and have won lots of support from passengers. But London Underground and the Mayor have not listened.

London Underground has left members of the two unions with no choice but to hold strikes and other industrial action. We are prepared to lose money by striking because we are not prepared to see London’s workers and passengers put at risk, left without help, or have vital services withdrawn. We are professional railway staff and we want to be able to do our jobs safely and properly.

We believe that people who live in, visit and work in London need:

• a safe, secure London Underground
• open ticket offices
• more Tube staff, not fewer
• job opportunities for unemployed people and school-leavers

We understand that strikes can cause disruption and distress. We want the staff cuts withdrawn so that we do not have to carry on striking. Please support our campaign.

=====

Fewer station staff means:

• a less safe London Underground
• less information and help during delays and disruptions
• it will be harder to evacuate stations quickly and safely in the event of an emergency eg. fire, crash, bombing
• less help for disabled, elderly and other vulnerable passengers
• less chance of you getting the help you need with directions, information, lost property, accidents or other issues
• less deterrent to assault, vandalism and other harmful behaviour
• you will feel less secure travelling around London Underground

Shorter ticket office opening hours means you will not be able to get a ticket seller’s help when:

• you have a problem with your ticket or Oyster
• the ticket machines are not working (which will happen more often with fewer staff to service them)
• you need to buy a ticket that is not available elsewhere
• you believe that the ticketing system has treated you unfairly
• your ticket or Oyster does not work
• you want the ‘personal touch’ in dealing with your issue

Less frequent train maintenance and fewer drivers means:

• trains potentially going into passenger services with defective brakes and other parts
• serious risk of accidents, injuries and even deaths
• trains more likely to be cancelled and therefore more delays to your journey

Support our campaign against staffing cuts:

• Visit our website: www.rmtplatform.org.uk/sos
• Send us an email: supportus@rmtlondoncalling.org.uk
• Contact your member of the Greater London Assembly. Find out their names and contact details at www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/members. Write to them at City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA.
• Tell London Underground and TfL your views by writing to Customer Service Centre, London Underground, 55 Broadway, London SW1H 0BD, or online at www.tfl.gov.uk/helpandcontact
• Email Mayor Boris Johnson: mayor@london.gov.uk

Click the following links to see the detail of job cuts and roster changes - and our objections to them - for these groups:

• Acton Town
• Baker Street
• Bank
• Barkingside
• Blackhorse Road
• Camden Town
• Canary Wharf
• East Ham
• Edgware
• Finchley Central
• Goodge Street
• Greenford
• Harrow-on-the-Hill
• Heathrow
• King's Cross
• London Bridge
• Liverpool Street
• Marylebone
• Paddington
• Rickmansworth
• Waterloo
• Wembley Park

Click '1 attachment' / file name to download a petition against the job cuts. Get your friends, workmates and family to sign it, stand outside your station and collect signatures, knock on doors in your neighbourhood ... and once it is filled in, send it in, print off another one and start all over again!

London Underground plans to dramatically cut ticket office opening hours and to cut 7-800 station staff jobs. RMT is campaigning against this, and welcomes the support of passengers, fellow trade unionists and others who share our view that Tube stations need more staff not fewer!

Please send us a message of support, using the online form below.

RMT faces a vital struggle to stop London Underground's plans to cut 7-800 jobs. We would like the support of the wider trade union movement.

If you are a member of another trade union, or if you are a delegate to a trades council (borough TUC), please consider proposing a resolution on this subject to your next meeting. You may like to base it on the draft below.