ACTON TOWN WIN…AT LAST

www.rmt.org.uk :: may 2006 :: RMTnews 7 T he longest running rail dispute in British history, regarding remote booking on and off facilities at Acton Town for District line London Underground drivers, has finally been settled. The dispute began over a year ago over the lack of facilities at Earls Court for Acton Town train operators. According to agreements with management, before a location can be used for remote booking on or off there must be certain facilities in place. Such facilities were not in place despite the fact that LUL had agreed either to provide them or make a travelling-time payment for operators who book on at remote locations. The company stopped these payments in 2002 without providing the promised booking- on facilities. As a result, following an overwhelming vote for industrial action, train operators only booked on from their home depot from January 4 2005. At the time London regional organiser Bobby Law said: “Here we are in the 21st century and we are still waiting for basic facilities – our members feel they have waited long enough”. After over a year in dispute, LUL finally agreed that remote booking on and off from June 11 2006 following consultation with RMT train operators over the terms of the settlement. Under the deal, 20 volunteers will be sought to transfer from Acton Town to Earls Court, provided that they are currently on a roster and will be guaranteed a similar link at Earls Court. Piccadilly & District West branch secretary Kevin Strain said that, as part of the settlement, the company had attempted to introduce cross-line working, forcing drivers to operate all over the network. This dangerous precedent was blocked by the union. “The steadfast approach of our members has meant we have won what we set out to achieve,” he said. RMT general secretary Bob Crow congratulated all the members concerned on behalf of the union. “This positive outcome is yet another demonstration of what can be achieved when members are united and display the kind of solidarity of which they can be justly proud,” he said. RMT has slammed the decision to privatise the East London Line when it re-opens after extension work in 2010, and pledged to campaign to keep it in the public sector. RMT said that it would do everything it could to prevent the line being offered as a ‘concession’ by Transport for London, to a private-sector operator and would take steps to safeguard its members’ jobs and conditions. “The extension of the East London Line is a welcome boost for London, but there is no earthly reason why its operations should not remain within London Underground,” London regional organiser Bobby Law said. “The private sector has already wreaked havoc on the Tube since its infrastructure was privatised, and they have been leeching £2 million a week out of the system in exchange for next to no improvements,” he said. The union pointed out that neither staff nor the vast majority of passengers who have experienced the disaster of rail privatisation would want to impose it anywhere else. General secretary Bob Crow warned that farming the East London Line out to the privateers could only mean further damaging fragmentation and the diversion of even more cash out of the system and into the pockets of privateers. “We will do everything we can to keep the operation public. “RMT will also take the necessary steps to safeguard the jobs, conditions and pensions of our members,” he said. ACTON TOWN WIN…AT LAST EAST LONDON LINE SELL-OFF SLAMMED