April's Bakerloo News celebrates the vote by RMT members for industrial action to stop casualisation, urges members to come to the branch to help plan action, and explains why the issues at stake affect us all.

It also reports on the Metronet dispute, and urges readers to say 'No' to BoJo - Boris Johnson, the Tory candidate for Mayor.

In our recent dispute, RMT and TSSA fought off some serious attacks from LUL, including its plan to introduce mobile station supervisors and to weaken the procedure for refusal to work on safety grounds.

But we still have big concerns, especially the fact that private security guards rather than LUL Station Supervisors will patrol some ex-Silverlink stations when they are shut at night.

LUL’s casualisation plans will consign most CSAs to years on the gateline - and other station grades to be stuck where they are - rather than getting promoted:

• LUL is unfairly preventing applicants getting promotions that you deserve. Less than 10% of internal applicants for recent train driver recruitment campaigns have got through the selection and training. We do not believe that less than one-tenth of you are capable of driving trains! Those who have got through to the training are finding that most of the class are external applicants.

The new issue of 'RMT Platform' focuses on our forthcoming strike action against casualisation, explaining the issues and how the strike works.

Download it here.

• Do not book on for duties starting after 18:30 on Sunday 6 April. We do not all walk out at that time: if your shift started earlier in the day, you work the full shift. In effect, the first duties to strike will be Sunday night turns.
• Stay off work on Monday and Tuesday. Do not work your duty on Wednesday unless it starts after 18:29. In effect, the first duties that resume work will be the Wednesday night turns. Everyone else, return to work on Thursday.
  

RMT members have voted by a 5:1 majority to take strike action to stop London Underground Ltd’s plans to cut and casualise our workforce. Together with TSSA, we will strike for 72 hours, starting with the night turns on Sunday 6 April. All grades will strike together, because the issues affect all grades and because we know that when we act together, we are stronger.

We are striking because talking has not been enough to dissuade LUL management from attacking your rights, your job security, your safety and your career prospects.

The latest issue of Bakerloo News urges all members to vote Yes in the ballot for industrial action against casualisation.

It also challenges management's positive portrayal of life on the ex-Silverlink stations, reports on the detrainment dispute, and gives a drivers' view of management's plan to move tipping out from Willesden Junction to Stonebridge Park.

RMT (and TSSA) are fighting for a very simple but very important principle:

Every London Underground station should be staffed to an adequate level by fully-trained, directly-employed LUL staff with secure terms and conditions.

Sadly, London Underground management do not agree. Instead they plan ...

To abandon the principle of 24/7 station supervision.

“This industrial action ballot is not about drivers striking for station staff or station staff striking for drivers. It is about all of us uniting to defend ourselves. We are all affected and we should all vote Yes.”
Janine Booth, Staff Side Secretary,Stations & Revenue Council (RMT)

“Why should RCIs vote Yes? Can you imagine whilst checking trains being at risk of violent assault ...You get to the next station only to find there are no staff and the ticket office is shut? Oh, and the mobile supervisor is three stations away! That’s why.”
Ross Marshall, RMT health & safety rep, BCV revenue control

This issue of 'RMT Platform' urges everyone to vote Yes in RMT and TSSA's strike ballots against LUL's casualisation plans. It also reports on our successful fight against the sacking of Mukesh Mahatma, asks for support for sacked probationer Eva Bayford, and explains the unfair treatment of Prestige Coaches.

Download it here.

From the Bakerloo line RMT branch newsletter

It is vital that all members of the Branch use their vote in this ballot for industrial action.

Whether you work on the stations, drive trains, or work in the control room we must all ensure there is a massive yes vote for action. This will make a difference to this intransigent management who want to ride roughshod over our agreements, our safety and our security of employment.

There is a list of issues on which your union is in dispute with LUL management. But there is really only one:
London Underground should be adequately staffed by London Underground employees with safe and secure working conditions.

LUL management has a set of plans that go against this basic principle. If we do not take a stand against these plans, then we can look forward to:

• Dozens of stations without ticket offices; most of the rest with shorter opening hours.
• Station Supervisors covering several stations at once.
  

London Underground’s attacks on its workforce will affect us right here on the Central Line.

TICKET OFFICE CLOSURES

Several Central line ticket offices are scheduled to close - Barkingside, Buckhurst Hill, Debden, Fairlop, Perivale, Ruislip Gardens, South Ruislip, West Acton and West Ruislip. Most of the rest will have their window opening times cut.

That means staff displaced, increased workload for those remaining, and more frustrated and angry passengers.

MOBILE SUPERVISION

The two RMT branches on the Central Line - Stratford no.1 and Central Line West - have jointly produced this newsletter urging Central Line staff to vote Yes to industrial action to stop casualisation and de-staffing.

LUL management is attacking your rights, your job security, your working conditions and your career prospects. Exhaustive talks have failed to persuade the company to step back from these attacks, so RMT will be balloting its members for strike action. TSSA will be balloting too, and the two unions are pledged to act together.

from RMT's regional women's newsletter

London Underground is attacking station staffing in several ways:

• Closing ticket offices.
• Using agency staff.
• Using security guards in place of station supervisors.
• Planning to introduce ‘mobile station supervisors’ who will cover a group of stations during their duty.
• Lone working, which is especially dangerous for detrainment staff.

This is bad news not just for station staff but for other grades too - when drivers or service control staff have an incident, help might not be there.

• Casualisation and De-Staffing
• Agency Staff
• Your Working Hours
• Medicals and Training

RMT is heading towards a showdown with LUL management over its plans to de-staff our stations and casualise our workforce. In the new year, we will be balloting you for strike action. Here, RMT Platform answers your questions about the issues.

RMT is heading towards a showdown with LUL management over its plans to de-staff our stations and casualise our workforce. In the new year, we will be balloting you for strike action. Here, RMT Platform answers your questions about the issues.