ORGANISING ON THE ELIZABETH LINE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2018 :: RMTnews 16 RMT is the main union representing staff on what will become known as the Elizabeth line when it becomes fully operational by the end of next year. Costing around £15 billion and stretching over 80 miles, the route will operate through London connecting Heathrow to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east and Reading in the west. Currently known as MTR Crossrail, the line will link existing overground railway infrastructure in the east and west with a brand new underground Central Operating Section (COS). MTR Crossrail commenced services from Liverpool Street to Shenfield in June 2015 under the banner Transport for London (TfL) Rail and involved the TUPEing of staff from Abellio Greater Anglia on the first day of operations. Similarly MTR Crossrail began services in the west under the same TfL Rail banner from Paddington to Heathrow last month. By December 2018 trains will be running through 10 brand new stations open through central London from Paddington to Woolwich through 15 miles of brand new tunnel. By next May the rebranded Elizabeth line will be running through services from Paddington to Shenfield and by December 2019 it becomes a fully integrated railway. From the beginning MTR Crossrail managing director Steve Murphy sent out a clear message to managers and reps that MTR Crossrail endorsed the important role that unions play, a message that has been reinforced in training programmes. RMT regional organiser Peter Skelly, who retires this month, welcomed this approach when he began work with the company in 2015 on a new collective bargaining agreement which would be fit for purpose for smooth industrial relations. “After some teething troubles we agreed the number of reps ORGANISING ON THE ELIZABETH LINE RMT organises on one of the largest rail projects in Europe that will run from Essex to Berkshire through London