TRANSPORT FOR LONDON STAFF LOBBY CITY HALL OVER PAY AND PENSIONS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2014 :: RMTnews 6 R MT tube drivers operating out of the Northern Line’s Morden train crew depot are to take strike action following the dismissal of a colleague in what the union says is a “blatant and clear cut case of victimisation and abuse of procedures”. The decision to move to a strike comes after a massive “Yes” vote amongst the members concerned. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that RMT had been pointing out that a new culture of harassment and misuse of procedures is rife on London Underground and the union would not stand back while individuals were picked off. “RMT members are well aware that the only defence that they have in these circumstances, when the internal machinery has been exhausted, is the unity and solidarity in the workplace. “The unattributed briefings to the media that our member had been sacked for “drinking on duty” are totally untrue. “Our member has a specific medical condition and the union maintains that it was the failure to follow agreed procedures that have led to this unwarranted dismissal and the subsequent strike action. “The London Underground director who reviewed the case has accepted that the management side have not followed their own procedures,” he said. RMT had been approached by ACAS to hold talks through their offices but LU management have refused that offer. R MT joined a lobby of the Transport for London board meeting at City Hall in early November over an all-out attack on pay and pensions that would condemn to staff to a life of poverty in retirement. TfL has refused to engage in serious negotiations over their plans for what amounts to a performance-related pay freeze and savage cuts to pension rights. The savage attacks that TFL are looking to bulldoze through pay rises that are one-off lump sums that would not count towards pensionable pay and an immediate pay freeze over the next five years for most staff. The annual pay award would also be at the discretion of managers and no longer fully negotiated with the recognised trade unions. Also pay rises would be determined by punitive and discriminatory ‘individual performance’ processes which will leave staff at the risk of bullying and harassment. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that these cash-led cuts would become worse over the forthcoming years as there are further reductions in TFL’s grant and the expectation that further assaults on jobs, pay and pensions are being lined up for the future. “The current TfL pension proposals are nothing less than a concerted attack on terms and conditions and would have a major effect on the future of the entire TfL Pension Fund. “TfL has refused to budge on this important issue despite the clear rejection of their proposals by staff,” he said. All the unions involved have demanded that TfL immediately withdraw the toxic ‘Pay For Performance’ plans and get back round the table. “This attack on TFL pay and pensions has to be seen in the wider context of government austerity cuts to TFL’s funding and once again it is the staff who are being lined up to take a hit. “The pension and pay assault also has to be seen against the backdrop of the continuing threat to jobs, services and safety on London Underground which are driven by the same multi-billion plans for cuts,” Mick Cash said. TRANSPORT FOR LONDON STAFF LOBBY CITY HALL OVER PAY AND PENSIONS NORTHERN LINE DRIVERS STRIKE AGAINST VICTIMISATION