Have a look at this photograph. It shows a shop (in West Kensington) charging 50p extra for Oyster top-ups paid for by card. The surcharge applies to all non-cash transactions, not just those below a certain threshold.

TfL claims that Oyster saves customers money. For several years, TfL and LUL have pursued a policy of deliberately encouraging customers to use Oyster, buying their credit online or at shops such as this one. The previous Mayor's ticket office closure plan, defeated earlier this year by the unions, was justified in terms of the availability of alternative outlets for ticket sales.

Ticket Office Discrepancies
last week a samf entered her monies(denominations and quantity) via the TOM to create a float bag for the next day, the total came to lets say £570
The next morning the same float bag is opened and witnessed and the early morning samf enters the exact same monies(denominations and quantity) into the TOM and the TOM adds it up to a different total of lets say £580
a £10 TOM generated discrepancy was created.

RMT press release, issued today

INFLATION-BUSTING fare increases are a short-sighted fix that will create more problems than they solve, London Underground’s biggest union says today.

As the mayor of London announced increases at one per cent ahead of inflation, RMT called for an end to the colossal waste of public money still being poured into private pockets under the part-privatisation of the Tube’s infrastructure

As we all know Oyster went into meltdown on Saturday, And to think management wanted to close the ticket offices. Can you imagine what would have happened if that went ahead? It would have been a complete nightmare for both staff and passengers alike.

After the recent company letter announcing the axing of multiple Revenue Managers jobs Revenue Control Inspectors ( RCI's) are quite concerned. Three Centurian Managers (BCV,JNP,SSR) were merged into one Revenue Control Manager for the entire London Underground. Sixteen Duty Revenue Control Managers (DRCM's) are currently been reduced to nine to cover the whole network.The admin staff are being reduced to just three. Local staff reps requested Functional Council to obtain some answers.

1. Henshall units
2. Oyster mobile phone trial
3. MFM/AFM screen and language update
4. ESAF Upgrades and enhancements
5. Scales
6. Clapham Junction

LUL has two 'resourcing' plans that cause RMT concern. Your reps met with LUL management on 7 May to discuss them.

1. 'Worklessness' scheme

   The company is co-operating with the Mayor's 'worklessness' scheme. Under this scheme, people who have been unemployed for six months or more go on a 12-week course which teaches them basic skills, during which they shadow a CSA for several days. The course takes them through the application process for CSA, and if they successfully complete it, there will be a CSA job for them.