The third Issue of the Easthammer newsletter is now uploaded to the web with a copy here as well please distribute it as widely across the group/Branch as possible.

I am going to start uploading the Easthammer newsletter onto this site as well as Easthammer but a few changes will be made to how they are done

Today I received a new leaflet from Steve Headley of which I have printed out around a 1000 of I will be handing these out on the trains on the way to work and slipping them inside of copies of the metro as and when i get a chance.

After a long drawn out fight and lots of "vote yes" "this paydeal is unacceptable" comments the EC have decided that the paydeal is acceptable and that were going to concentrate on the job cuts. Yes we must fight the job cuts but now we have put ourselves in the position of looking as bad as Scablef who done exactly the same.

This is the Article that has just been sent out as a Special DEC 2009 East Hammer

Rick Grogan Special

22 years ago I joined an underground very different from the one we have today. Some changes have been good, some bad. Through all these changes one theme has remained constant.
“It’s the rich wot takes the pleasure and the poor wot takes the blame”
The job then was run by the Station Mangers most of these were West Indian or Caribbean men who came to Britain in 50s and 60s with promises of gold to find that the only work was poorly paid and the accommodation usually had signs saying “ No Blacks no Irish” outside.

Our recent level one meeting on the East Ham Group was a complete suprise. Management were willing to listen to our complaints and respond favourably in nearly every instance. Smiles were seen from across the table that sent chills down your spine and made you wonder what dasterdly plan was being hatched or what path we were being led down to certain death. Still two days have gone past and we are all still alive at the moment so the tea was not poisened and they have not assigned hit men to us yet.

It has come to my attention that there are face book and blog sites that are pretending to be attatched to an RMT branch or region. Some of these have been attacking the familes of our management. My managers family has come under increasing pressure.
This practice is despicable and will never be supported by official RMT web sites.
We have our disputes with LUL management as a body not as a person. personalities should never creep into issues of industrial relations. We as proffessional reps should be aware that shit runs down hill.

R.M.T. East Ham Branch
After the success of our action so far we need one last push to win!
Your next branch meeting is on:
Thursday 2nd of October at 16:30 at
The East Ham Working Men’s Club,
Boleyn Road, (Off Barking road) East Ham.
(Nearest station is Upton Park)
This branch meeting is important as we will be discussing future action on the East Ham Group. These issues concern you so please try to attend and let us know what you and your mates are thinking. It is your Branch.
If there is no way that you can attend please let me have your comments and ideas on:

East Ham Branch is disgusted with the managements response to the East Ham Group reps meeting on the 21st of August.

Though they have reinstated the pay of 4 staff, no mention has been made of reinstating Sarah Hutchins.

The bullying of our staff has been condoned with management being told that they can interview staff when off sick without Union reps present. This is in clear contavention of our agreements and sets a new company standard. This is now being rolled out all over the underground.

We have to put up with the constant nit picking of our management every day. How often have you heard,
"You have not signed this , you have not done that, are you aware of this or that procedure as we are being audited and it is safety critical , we must reach our targets."
With managers running the East Ham group on the 22nd of August Strike we saw from the managers how it should be done.

The 22nd of August will be a day of celebration for East Ham Branch for many years to come. Our day of action saw the group being staffed by managers on overtime costing the company a fortune. These are the lengths that management will go to try to convince you that they can win against a united workforce. When you need overtime they tell you they can’t afford it. We should show them that we can not be bought so easily and go into an overtime ban next. Write in and let me know what you think

The East Ham Group sent a clear message to management today. Our strike action against the sacking of Sarah Huchins and the intimidation of our staff was a total success. Managers on overtime staffed every station costing the company a fortune. To think the GSM was concerned about his overtime bill. Only a handful of staff turned up for work at Upton Park, East Ham & Plaistow. We will remember them.

RMT press release, issued today

RMT Station Staff working at eleven Tube stations between Plaistow and Upminster on London Underground’s District Line and at Elephant and Castle, Charing Cross and Lambeth North on the Bakerloo are to strike for 24 hours from 04:30 tomorrow, Friday August 22 in two separate disputes.

Why Train Operators should support striking station staff!
Station staff on East Ham Group will be taking strike action on the 22nd of August for 24 hours. Staff have been advised not to book on for any duty that starts between 04:30 on the 22nd of August and 04:29 on the 23rd of August in a dispute against the unfair sacking of Sarah Huchins, the stopping of pay, intimidation of staff when off sick and the bullying tactics of the local manager.