VICTORIA LINE STRIKE SOLID

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: may 2009 :: RMTnews 6 R MT members working for Carlisle Cleaning Services at St Pancras International on Eurostar have voted overwhelmingly for industrial action short of a strike following the installation of fingerprinting machines to replace clocking on/clocking off machines. The cleaners voted by 30 to 1 in favour. From May 12 they are boycotting the use of the finger printing machines until further notice. “This vote shows just how angry the Eurostar cleaners are at the outrageous introduction of staff finger printing and their treatment by the Carlisle Group as little more than common criminals.,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. R MT is demanding that London Underground cease victimising Waterloo staff rep Elaine Holness. LUL has stood Elaine down from duties pending an investigation that she ‘racially harrassed’ a manager. It is the union’s belief that it is in fact Elaine that is being harassed, because she criticised a manager when she gave evidence at an employment tribunal in support of sacked RMT member Mo Makhboul. Prior to the latest action against Elaine she has also faced a series of other arbitrary acts against her. These include docking her pay for attending a doctor’s appointment and preventing her attending a TUC conference. RMT believe that Elaine is being targeted to prevent her appearing as a witness for another sacked RMT member – Gyles Henry – and also because they want to remove a highly effective union rep from the workplace. Outside of the workplace Elaine has received awards for her charity work and is a well known local community activist with a track record of opposing racism. That is why the false accusations of racism are particularly disgusting. RMT London regional organiser Steve Hedley has written to LUL complaining that the allegations: “are of a malicious and vexatious nature.” N o trains ran during a 24 hour strike on the Victoria Line on April 21–22. The strike was ‘rock solid’ after management refused last minute talks to resolve the dispute over passenger door safety and the bullying and victimisation of RMT members. The dispute hinges on the failure of management to install correct door side enabling equipment on the Victoria Line which is operational on all other lines on the Underground. This is a fail-safe mechanism which prevents the wrong side doors being opened when a train is on the platform. RMT safety reps have a dossier of 18 incidents over the past four years when the wrong side doors have been opened on the Victoria Line, posing a serious safety risk to the public. The dispute is also over an associated issue of the sacking of a train driver Carl Campbell and the victimization of RMT activist Glenroy Watson. “The safety implications of not installing the correct door side enabling equipment for the travelling public on the Victoria Line are blindingly obvious. If the doors open incorrectly, and you or your kids are jammed into the carriage, the potential for a tragedy is clear and that’s why every other line on the Underground has brought in this fail safe mechanism”, RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. “There is something rotten about a management culture which ignores crucial safety issues but wastes time and effort victimising staff. The RMT are determined to put a stop to it,” Bob Crow said. EUROSTAR CLEANERS VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY FOR ACTION OVER ‘BIG BROTHER’ STAFF FINGERPRINTING VICTORIA LINE STRIKE SOLID RMT general secretary Bob Crow joins the Victoria Line strikers RMT REP VICTIMISED R MT is seeking recognition for its members at bus bodyshop, paint sprayers and upholstery fitters Hants and Dorset Trim, which is part of the Go Ahead Group. The company services Go South Coast buses including Blue Star, Wilts & Dorset Bus Company, Southern Vectis and Damory Coaches. With 20 members of staff at the bodyshop in RMT the union sought voluntary recognition on the basis that half the staff were in the union. This was turned down by the company on the basis that staff at the paintshop on separate premises should be taken into account as well. RMT is organising a meeting of all the workforce, including non-members to seek recognition of the union and get a petition signed. It will also be pursuing recognition with the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). RMT SEEKS RECOGNITION AT HANTS AND DORSET TRIM