So you’re a carer?

Like most carers you’ve probably answered ‘no’ to that question. That’s one of the things about being a ‘carer’ - you don’t really see yourself as one! Most of us just think of ourselves as a mum or dad, a son or daughter, a husband, wife, partner or friend. And yet the experience of looking after a family member, partner or friend is very common.

The special edition of For The Record list job cuts.

This updated version of For the Record April 2010 contains news about:

*job cuts and how Liverpool Street group will be affected:
*the Staff Our Stations campaign and it's arrival at Liverpool Street station;
*the Moorgate scra roster undermining and plans to undermine an ss1 job at Liverpool Street;
*Farringdon's CSA roster;
*Liverpool Street's csa roster;
*the planned attack on long weekends for reserve staff of all grades;
*the myth of voluntary severance;
*mystery shoppers & positive feedback - another myth;
*your rights when returning to annual leave or rest days from sick leave

This section of the General Secretary's report to RMT's 2009 AGM about women's issues contains some issues particularly pertinent to London Underground station and revenue staff ...

Pregnant Women and Nursing Mothers - Rest Facilities

The lack of suitable rest facilities for pregnant women and nursing mothers was fully aired during the debate at last year's AGM. As a result of the resolution carried, I wrote to all lead officers instructing them to raise the points of the resolution to ensure all companies are complying with their legal obligations under health and safety laws.

'RMT Platform' has previously reported on the 'Employablity' scheme which helps long-term unemployed people into jobs on LUL. One of the issues we have raised is the fact that trainees do not get any financial help with childcare costs, so have to pay childminding fees out of their benefits - which is practically impossible.

This document covers areas such as maternity and paternity leave, adoption leave, funeral leave, and other forms of leave additional to annual leave that you might need to take to meet your family responsibilities. The text is provided below, and you can click '1 attachment'/file name below to download the document as a PDF.

FAMILY LEAVE GUIDELINES

1. INTRODUCTION

LUL management want to take away your right to appeal a decision on your flexible working application to the Staff Movements Committee.

This document provides London Underground's guidelines for progressing flexible working applications. Click '1 attachment'/file name to view and download the document as a PDF, including the application form. Your RMT rep can help you through the application process.

FLEXIBLE WORKING GUIDELINES

1. INTRODUCTION

This document, addressed to LUL's employing managers, was issued jointly by management and the unions in 2004 and re-circulated in 2008. Click on '1 attachment'/file name to view and download it as a PDF, complete with signatures!

STATIONS & REVENUE FUNCTIONAL COUNCIL
JOINT COMMUNIQUE REGARDING FLEXIBLE WORKING

The Employment Rights Act 1996 gives employees the right to time off if something “unexpected” happens to their arrangements for caring for a dependant. But your employer may suggest that the word "unexpected" means that if you had more than a couple of days' notice, then you do not have the right to the time off. But a recent legal case has established that “unexpected” can include a situation in which the employee had two weeks’ notice of a change to their childcare arrangements.

Have you ever applied for 'flexible working'? ie. For changes to your hours or location of work to suit your caring responsibilities? RMT is surveying members' experiences of applying for flexible working. We know that while getting the flexible working arrangement you want can be a great boost to your 'work-life balance', getting it can be a difficult process.

By gathering information about your and others' experiences, we can boost our campaign to strengthen your right to flexible working.

This resolution was unanimously agreed by RMT's National Women's Advisory Committee on 11 November, having been submitted by Bakerloo and Central Line West branches. It will now go to the union's Executive for their consideration.

This union is appalled at the announcement by Peter Mandelson that the government's plans to extend flexible working rights to parents of all children under 16 have been put on hold due to the economic crisis.

If you have a child under the age of 16, a disabled child under the age of 18, or care for a dependant adult (eg. a sick or disabled partner, parent or adult son/daughter), then you have the legal right to apply for ‘flexible working’ ie. changes to your hours or location of work that fit in better with your caring responsibilities.

This year, London Underground has carried out an 'employability' scheme for long-term unemployed people devised by the Mayor's office (background here). The company has now forwarded its report to us, which is copied below.

RMT raised some issues:

• We believe - as does the trade union movement in general - that people training for work should receive wages rather than benefits. However, we accept that this was beyond the remit of LUL to implement.