00662266 EEAASSTT LLOONNDDOONN RRAAIILLBRANCH NEWS

ISSUE 2ISSUE 2

MARCHMARCH

20082008

NATIONAL UNION OF RAIL, MARITIME, & TRANSPORT WORKERS’GENERAL SECRETARY: BOB CROW

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East London Rail Branch notes that this Union andits negotiators achieved the best possible deal avail-able during the negotiations over ‘one’ Railway Rev-enue Protection harmonisation, finalised in October2006.The Branch also notes that this Union and its’ nego-tiators could not have been expected to foresee theextent to which this agreement would be ignoredand disregarded by the Company who insisted in itsimplementation in the first place.The Branch notes that this document, which Liver-pool Street revenue staff are instructed to considercontractual and binding by management, has beenregularly and consistently abused by London East-ern Railway; and that they ‘cherry-pick’ the areasof harmonisation they wish to enforce whilst ignor-ing areas that are in our members’ favour.We believe that by now, half way through the dura-tion of this agreement, progress should have beenmade towards implementing the RPO Level 2 Grade,thus providing the promotion prospects our mem-bers deserve and the Company agreed to.We have now been told by Revenue Protection man-agement at Liverpool Street that this they have ‘de-cided’ this Grade will never be implemented, yetthey have introduced a new managerial position(‘Prosecutions Officer’) which undertakes similar du-ties.We understand this to be a binding agreement be-tween two parties- the Company and recognisedTrades Unions (predominantly the RMT) - which isnot adhered to by LER.This hypocrisy and breach of faith should not be tol-erated any further since we consider that our mem-

bers have made this agreement work at no smallcost to themselves with little or nothing in return.LER have ridden rough-shod over the prospects ofboth old and new staff; this Branch considers that abreach of contract. Both old and new staff havebeen recruited and retained on the promise of thepossibility of advancing their future prospects;which according to the company now no longerexist.East London Rail Branch notes that this Union hasbeen consistently lied to by LER. As well as renegingon the creation of a grade and the associated NVQcourse they agreed under harmonisation, they haveattempted to implement grades which were notagreed; they have continued to recruit poorlytrained agency staff in the face of a promises to thecontrary; all to the detriment of our members’ inter-ests. Yet when confronted at a local and depot levelthey insist that this document is the ‘only show intown’.This Branch believes that this Union has the rightto- and should demand- absolute adherence fromLER to the Revenue Protection Terms & Conditionsthat they agreed, in all areas and at all levels.This Branch requests that, the Company failingto immediately take steps to implement theRPO Level 2 grade and all other aspects of har-monisation that they have so far ignored andmisused, the General Grades Committee con-ducts a ballot for strike action and action shortof a strike of our members within the RevenueProtection grades at Liverpool Street.

S E E B A C K P A G E R E P O R T

NOTED: That the RMT’s legal affairs, including tri-bunal claims, were not longer being handled byEdwards-Duthie; Thompson’s Solicitors now in-structed in all affairs.NOTED: It was discussed whether we would havea candidate for the Young Members’ Conference;Sister Reeve proposed for this but unavailable onthis date. Any member interested please contactthe Secretary on the details below. NOTED: Annual Leave calculations. Membersworking for Network Rail have lost out on A/L daysdue to working longer shifts even though they areon the same working week. The discussion thatfollowed compared this to ‘one’ railway RevenueProtection Harmonisation in which LER insisted ona reduction of A/L as a result of a 7 hour 24minute day roster. Copies of these documents areto be sent to Bro. Randall for use in up-comingLOROL ‘harmonisation’ meetings.NOTED: The Work Safe policy at Network Rail’sElectrical Control Rooms on the East Coast MainLine is being undermined by proposed staffingcuts and the ECR Operators (vital Safety Criticalstaff) have voted unanimously to strike. This isrelevant to this Branch as the North London Line(now part of LOROL) is to be re-signalled, result-ing in local boxes being closed and signalling con-trol transferred to Upminster IECC. Network Rail’scontinuing disregard for PTR&R (Promotion,Transfer, Redundancy, & Resettlement, a nationalagreement) makes this a battleground of the fu-ture. Watch this space!

East London Rail Branch News thanks theoutgoing Branch Committee for their work ofthe past year and congratulates the newCommittee on their election. With a strong,focussed, and united Branch we can continuethe recent upsurge in Branch activity and re-cruitment and make East London Rail Branchthe focal point for all our members.

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NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY 17th APRIL 2008—RAILWAY TAVERN, ANGEL LANE, STRATFORD–

17.00 HOURS. PHONE 07940 340 128 FOR DETAILS OR EMAIL eastlondonrail@rmt.org.uk

A N N U A LG E N E R A LM E E T I N G2 0 t h M a r c h 2 0 0 8Held as usual at the Railway Tavern Hotel on AngelLane, Stratford, was the Branch’s Annual GeneralMeeting, and a very successful one it was too. Wewere well represented, with members from many ofthe grades and companies we are active in attending.From London Overground Rail Operations Ltd wasArnold Randall (Gospel Oak RPI), Pauline Wilson (Sta-tion Assistant, Leytonstone High Rd), and John Clarke(Conductor, Stratford depot); from Network Rail cameGlenn Wallis (Signaller Level 4, South Tottenhambox); and from London Eastern Railway (‘National Ex-press East Anglia’) were John-Paul Healey, TraceyReeve, Dan Rouse, Ed Shine, and Ron Smythe (allRevenue Protection staff at Liverpool Street station);it was a pleasure to welcome again Pauline Akrill, anRMT Industrial Relations Officer at Union Headquar-ters, as our guest. Apologies were received from DaveNubley and Mushi Ali (both CSL3’s, Liverpool Street),and Steve Brown, Janice Gill, Aniel Gujral, Femi Ogun-sowobo, Orville Seaton, Shay Olaiya, and Keith Bay-man (all Revenue Protection staff at Liverpool Street).Due to the absence of both the out-going Chair andVice-Chair at the start of the meeting, Bro. Wallis waselected as temporary Chair (proposed: Bro. Randall,seconded: Bro. Smythe). Bro Randall reminded themeeting that all members must be fully in benefit tostand for Branch Office.The thanks of the Branch were conveyed to the out-going Branch Committee, who in accordance with theRules of the union, had resigned; and elections forthose positions then took place.Bro. Wallis was elected our new Chair (prop: JPHealey, 2nd: Dan Rouse), and the fraternal thanksand respects off the Branch are conveyed to Bro. Nub-ley for the sterling work he has done over the lastyear in that position. Ed Shine was re-elected Secre-tary (prop: Dan Rouse, 2nd: Ron Smythe). JohnClarke was elected to remain as Vice-Chair (prop:Arnold Randall, 2nd: Glenn Wallis). JP Healey becameAssistant Secretary (prop: Ron Smythe, 2nd: ArnoldRandall). Tracey Reeve, Arnold Randall, and RonSmythe were elected the Branch’s Trustees (prop: RonSmythe, Pauline Wilson, Dan Rouse; 2nd: JP Healey,JP Healey, Tracey Reeve, consecutively). For the Re-gional Council, Glenn Wallis, Pauline Wilson, and EdShine were elected (prop: Ed Shine, Ed Shine, ArnoldRandall, 2nd: Dan Rouse, Ron Smythe, Pauline Wilsonconsecutively). Arnold Randall and Dan Rouse wereelected Auditors (prop: Ron Smythe, Tracey Reeve;2nd: Pauline Wilson, Ron Smythe consecutively).The minutes of the last meeting were agreed as a truerecord (prop: Sister Wilson; 2nd: Arnold Randall);Sister Wilson had attended the Black & Ethnic

Minority Conference and her report is included inthis newsletter on the back page. It was noted theSecretary never heard back from any of the Con-ference Organisers. All her nomination forms weresent off in spite of the short notice. Attendance atthe Women's’ conference proved an impossibilitydue to it taking place the weekend after the lastmeeting; however she should be able to provideus with a full report from the Station Grades’ Con-ference at the next meeting (17th April).The Secre-tary would send her details of the conference fromprevious correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCECORRESPONDENCERECEIVEDRECEIVED

A complete list of all the secretary’s correspondencereceived is available at every Branch Meeting or byemailing the Secretary at:

eastlondonrail@rmt.org.uk

Bro Randall informed the Branch that the RevenueProtection agency staff employed from ‘Magenta’ onthe Gospel Oak-Barking line (which is believed to beknown to some of our more mature members as theTottenham-Hampstead line) are preferred by LOROLto be brought back in-house, although no time scalehas been advised as yet. Likewise ‘Manguard’ (secu-rity/ barrier agency staff) should be phased outwithin the month.The Company may attempt to begin re-structuringat the beginning of May, although so far there havebeen no joint meetings to discuss any proposals.Off-the-table discussions suggest there will be nostaff displacement, rather, a recruitment drive, sincethey need extra staff on the GOB and ex-SilverlinkCounty lines. This restructuring is likely to focus onlevelling out (harmonising???) T&C’s and pay scales,although there is a possibility that the Companywould wish to put Sunday working back into theroster (i.e., part of the working week). Of course,this would be dependent on what it is worth in ex-change. It should be remembered that Silverlink (aswas) and now LOROL staff have for some time beenfighting for a Sunday Working Rate of Time +3/4which we would expect to be part of any packageinvolving Sunday working on-roster.Revenue Protection staff have also begun theirtraining in Greater London Authority legislation forthe detection and prosecution of Oyster mis-use, forwhich, as yet, no extra duty payment has been de-manded. However, this should be born in mind byLOROL if they ever claim that ‘belts need to betightened’ or that our members have not given any-thing up.There is also some talk of the Company introducinga points system of some kind- possibly bonus/ per-

formance related- for Revenue Staff. As yet it is un-known whether, if introduced, this will be individual-or team-based; however the Union’s position onsuch schemes has not changed: we believe that it isa way of dividing people and encouraging them tocompete with each other rather than focus energyon claiming their rights from the employer. Likewise,staff may view a bonus as an inevitable part of theirwage packet, when, in fact, it can be removed ormade unobtainable at a moments notice, thus hav-ing the effect of a pay cut. Pay rises should be partof the overall salary and pensionable, not dished outwhen management feel like it. It will almost in-evitably too create and exacerbate conflict situa-tions which could normally perhaps be diffused bythe Inspectors’ discretion. Which is why we are gladto learn that contrary to reports at last monthsmeeting, RPI’s have not in fact had their AVB’s(portable ticket issuing facilities) removed, only theMagenta staff. So although such bonus schemes andpoints systems may appear at first glance to beeasy money, we feel they are likely to be paid for inways not immediately apparent.It was also noted that Team Leader positions on theGOB line, which have been floated for the last two-three weeks, are being filled absolutely contrary toPTR&R agreements. Apparently they are to be‘elected’ from amongst the staff, which whilstsounding democratic, means their has been no con-sultation or fair assessment procedure in place: jobsgoing unadvertised, lack of formal application, oreven appointment. There is even uncertainty, dueto the lack of a formal Job Description whether thisis a Supervisory or Team Leader grade... but on£18,000 a year, the rate is not commensurate witheither!This, as well as issues such as facilities for Rep’s atstations, Lone Working, and Uniform standards, isto be raised and confronted at the next LOROLCompany Council meeting

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NEXT MEETING: THURSDAY 17th APRIL 2008—RAILWAY TAVERN, ANGEL LANE, STRATFORD–

18.30 HOURS. PHONE 07940 340 128 FOR DETAILS OR EMAIL eastlondonrail@rmt.org.uk

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The Secretary proposed a motion (seconded BRos.Smythe and Healey, carried unanimously)- printedon the front page- that this company has consis-tently reneged on its obligations and abrogated itsrights under the Collective Bargaining Procedure,or, put more simply, has lied and lied again in itsimplementation of the Harmonised Terms & Condi-tions all Revenue Staff operate under. Bro Smythe also pointed out that there is still noNVQ for RPA/ RPOI grades, and not even any as-sessor or trainer position exists as is the case inDriver and Retail grades. bro. Wallis pointed outthat under the WAGN re-structuring, certain old BRgrades were removed through natural wastage.The Branch agreed that, since the Company cannotbe trusted to keep its side of any agreement itmakes, what has been promised is worthless andwhat little little we have gained will be further whit-tled away if they are given the chance.

For the last two years, ever since Revenue Protec-tion grades within London Eastern Railway (then,‘one’, and now ‘National Express East Anglia’) wereharmonised, staff have been consistently under at-tack. This applies as much, if not more, to LiverpoolStreet staff as to other depots on the network, dueto the high profile- or in management speak- ‘flagship’ position of the depot.At Christmas, we saw a roster introducedwhich was not agreed or negotiated uponwhich sent RPI’s to remote locations not evenon the network (e.g, tube and C2C stations),which ironically, was against the harmonisa-tion deal! (Section 3.9)We have a permanent allocation of Agencystaff in the depot when it is patently clear thatthere is not a full complement of permanentstaff as it is (after the company swore blindthat they required only TEN Agency workersto carry out ticket gate assessments at otherstations).The introduction of Level 2 RPO is somethingthat many members at Liverpool Street haveaspired to since it was proposed, yet, twoyears down the line, is as unachievable asever while the Company maintain their cur-rent positionWe have never been given a clear and logicalanswer to why Liverpool Street has a differentpaying in procedure to other depots- generallya vague reference to ‘cash regulations’, butare we honestly meant to accept that theseregulations create different procedures fordifferent depots?The few promotional posts that are availableare not being advertised and where they arethe criteria of recruitment is INVISIBLE; thebranch does not feel that these members arebeing given a fair opportunity at advance-ment, specifically because of their location.Unfortunately, although these issues, and more,have been raised repeatedly at depot level, the ob-vious disregard with which this company holds ourmembers’ future and aspirations leaves this Branchwith no other option than to call upon the GeneralGrades Committee to immediately conduct a ballotof Revenue Protection members at Liverpool Streetfor strike action and action short of a strike unlessthe company responds positively with our requestthat they uphold the Agreement they insisted on inthe first place.EAST LONDON RAIL BRANCH- FIGHTING FOR YOURPROGRESS!

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