Possible Strike

RMT have just announced a ballot over Night Tube which also closes 29th June so it looks as if they're going to roll the two disputes together

I suppose the question is whether they can ballot all drivers or just those on lines that were doing Night Tube before it was stopped

If the result supports a strike I predict management launching a legal challenge as the ballot includes drivers on the five lines that currently don't have Night Tube and won't immediately be effected.

The plot thickens

Both RMT Reps at Hainault have quit and joined ASLEF. Apparently there was a bit of friction with head office who blamed them for not getting the strike vote but they say that after speaking to the members they warned head office that there wouldn't be enough support for a strike

And that is why I will never be a Rep again!

I doubt it will go ahead.

Given the recent exodus of drivers to Aslef, any idea of the potential scale of impact? I'm involved with an event on the 26th and wondering whether we should now postpone, or whether tubes will be running but with reduced service and risk it

RMT regional organiser John Leach updates members on the dispute after a meeting at ACAS

www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/content/video-abolition-night-tube-grade-acas-update

Unfortunately I'm at work on my meal break and the cheap, useless, steam powered TfL computer won't play the video (plus my train is at Newbury Park)

I had my meal break at Hainault yesterday, I was told RMT membership is down from 45 when they balloted earlier this year to 18, all the others including the two reps have quit to join ASLEF and Hainault doesn't have an RMT rep at the moment because no one wants to do it.

While I was there a TOp was filling out his ASLEF application form on his mobile phone

I was also told that the reason RMT is so opposed to the Night Tube proposal is that only TOps will get extra payments for working NT shifts and they need to keep station staff happy as they make up the majority of their members.

Allegedly

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In addition on Thursday ASLEF senior reps attended a company council meeting at which management have said:

1) They will need to change and build in flexibility to all frameworks.
2) Attendance at work policy needs to be changed.
3) CDP to be taken away and go to some form of online based training.
4) Pension review still to take place.
5) Overtime and rest day working in trains as they have it for every other grade.
6) All jobs are up for ‘review’

They say these are ‘ideas’ rather than proposal but with TfL's current financial situation and the reliance on government bailouts changes are needed to ensure they can maintain the railway.

ASLEF said they will fight and oppose any changes introduced by force.

There will be another meeting in 2 weeks. RMT train reps were not in attendance


There may be trouble ahead and it could be a whole lot bigger than RMT's little spat over Night Tube i.e. "sll four unions out at the same time" bigger

Strike action over London Underground plans to abolish Night Tube Train Drivers’ grade goes ahead next month

www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/content/strike-action-over-london-underground-plans-abolish-night-tube-train-drivers%E2%80%99-grade-goes?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Expect some disruption next week but it will probably fizzle out by the third or fourth week, just too many strikes in too short a space of time

Ah I think things have changed recently, my stock course (Central) was one week.

I once asked a training manager which was the most complicated stock to train on and he reckoned it was 1992ts.  At least that explains why we've had so many problems with faulty trains recently, we've got a load of new recruits who haven't had enough training on the stock

I agree with AS on members of the union ignoring the strike. On the Picc, there seems to be quite a lot moving from RMT to ASLEF, especially in this case drivers that were PT Night Tube that got a full time position out of this (dis)agreement. The rumour mill suggests that many existing RMT members will be ignoring the strike. The grade consolidation has happened, there is not a cat in hells chance that LU will give way on this and there are far more important issues down the line that the TU's should concentrate their efforts on.

And as highlighted above, they only just scraped past the legal thresholds on ballots returned and those voting yes. Pick your fights!!

Okay this is just a rumour going around the mess rooms but...

In 2015 RMT agreed that station staff and other grades would work Night Tube at the standard rate but now that ASLEF have negotiated "time and a half" for train drivers RMT want the same for everyone. They can't ballot other staff because the changes to Train Operator T&Cs do not effect them so RMT have orchestrated a strike by their driver members to help station staff, etc.

Another rumour is that RMT drivers are quitting and joining ASLEF in droves because they know exactly what RMT are doing

BBC Tom Edwards on Twitter says "Positive noises" from ACAS talks, will resume on Monday

indeed:
RMT suspends Tube strike action this week to allow for further talks

London Underground: Union suspends drivers strikes