Pay dispute at London Underground

[YorkRailFan]

London Underground workers will start to receive ballot papers today asking them whether they want to take strike action over pay.

RMT is unhappy at the latest pay offer from London Underground when Transport for London(TfL) has created a bonus pot of £13m for senior managers and the commissioner took an 11% pay rise in 2023.
The union wants to see full staff travel facilities for all tube workers restored and has criticised bosses for freezing pay bands, saying it will create a two tier workforce.
Tuesday 19th December is when the ballot will close.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Tube workers who help bring vast amounts of value to the London economy are not going to put up with senior managers and commissioners raking it in, while they are given modest below inflation offers.
"The refusal of TfL to restore staff travel facilities and create a two tier workforce is also unacceptable.
"Our members will now decide whether to set a mandate for strike action over pay and we urge TfL to improve their offer to avert disruption to Londoners."
END

Tube strike ballot over pay begins today

London Underground workers will start to receive ballot papers today asking them whether they want to take strike action over pay.

www.rmt.org.uk

Sounds like another strike will likely happen on the London Underground, likely in the run-up before Christmas.

 

[Dstock7080]

ASLEF are also balloting but with a recommendation to accept the 5% offer.

Pay offer update.

Yesterday, Wednesday Oct 25th ASLEF reps from across London Underground met to discuss the pay offer.The negotiating team explained that LU management were clear that this was their full & final offer and there would not be any further negotiations. LU Management say that the funding agreement...

www.aslefdistrict8.org

​

Based on the consensus of the meeting, the negotiating team will now report to the national Executive Committee with a recommendation that a referendum of our members is held with a recommendation to accept the offer.

LU Management have responded with:

Last month we made a full and final offer to increase base pay for LU colleagues by 5 per cent.

ASLEF has chosen to give their members a say on this offer, and we’re pleased ASLEF representatives have made a recommendation that members accept the offer.
Disappointingly RMT, TSSA and Unite have rejected the offer, with RMT balloting their members on industrial action.
As we said from the start of talks with our trade unions (TUs), we want to reach an agreement so we can get the money our colleagues need into their pockets.

Ultimately the rejections from three of our TUs mean we haven’t reached an agreement and will not be able to arrange a back-dated payment or apply salary increases until March 2024 at the earliest. If we do not agree a pay offer before early January, the earliest we’ll be able to pay colleagues any increase, including any backdated pay, is the new financial year.

Processing payments takes time – it’s dependent on several factors including when eligible colleagues were last paid. These rejections have extended this time.
This offer is full and final. That’s because it’s the most we can afford. This fact will not change. Industrial action will have an adverse effect.

The offer includes a freeze of pay bands or salary ranges. 1.7 per cent of colleagues (fewer than 300 out of more than 16,000 people) are affected by this. These colleagues will receive the award as an increase taking them to the maximum of their range with the rest of the award paid as a separate one-off lump sum payment. For those already at or above the maximum of the range, they will receive the award as a one-off lump sum payment equivalent to the increase offered this year. We’re urging all our TUs, as well as colleagues given a say, to accept the offer, allowing us to pay this money into colleagues’ bank accounts as quickly as we can.

 

[Thirteen]

If the ballot doesn't close until 19th December then it's unlikely there will be strike action at Christmas, more likely to be January plus with the new minimum service laws, TfL have something they've not had before.

Strange that ASLEF are balloting to accept rather than striking

 

[Blindtraveler]

Could someone refresh my memory, what travel benefits were removed and was this as a result of covid financial strain?

 

[Mojo]

Strange that ASLEF are balloting to accept rather than striking

It makes more sense when you consider that the majority of Aslef members are on a “spot” rate (i.e. they are all paid the same as their colleagues doing the same job over the same hours). Yes they have some members who are managers and within Service Control who will be on a pay band but this will be a significant minority.

Could someone refresh my memory, what travel benefits were removed and was this as a result of covid financial strain?

I presume this refers to the fact that staff and their spouse/dependents who entered service after rail privatisation do not receive Priv discounts and that staff are also liable to pay tax on their discounted National Rail season ticket to get to work (except staff who commute on the two Tocs with which TfL has done a deal). This has been the case since rail privatisation and is not a new thing.

 

[YorkRailFan]

Strange that ASLEF are balloting to accept rather than striking

I presume that ASLEF members see that they're not going to get a better offer, so they will accept and then hope for a better one from a new Government from 2024 onwards.

 

[footprints]

Are the RMT really going to get a turnout of 50% or above here given the offer on the table seems pretty reasonable?

 

[Thirteen]

Are the RMT really going to get a turnout of 50% or above here given the offer on the table seems pretty reasonable?

It's possible, I do wonder if this might backfire on them though.

 

[SunSeeker]

Are the RMT really going to get a turnout of 50% or above here given the offer on the table seems pretty reasonable?

In what way does it seem reasonable? February RPI, which has been used as a figure for our pay rises for many years up until 2022, was 13.8% this year. When RPI was low, we accepted the figure, but now it's high, it's suddenly not used anymore? Yea that sounds reasonable... Not.

Add the fact the person at the top received an 11% pay rise this year, but the rest of us only offered 5%? Is that also reasonable?

I've heard a lot of the ASLEF members are not happy with the offer, and are even thinking to switch to RMT because of the recommendation to accept. It will be interesting to see the result of their referendum.

And to answer your question myself and all my colleagues I've spoken to will be voting YES, hopefully everyone else will too.

 

[footprints]

In what way does it seem reasonable?

The fact ASLEF are recommending acceptance suggests it's reasonable. The fact the RMT are balloting members, with a neutral position, for a 5% increase in the national pay dispute also suggests it's reasonable.

The other gripes of the RMT are changes which impact a tiny minority of members or are protests about changes made a long time ago. Considering the RMT only just cleared the 50% threshold for turnout in the LU ballot over terms and conditions, it would suggest they might have their work cut out getting this over the line. Especially when LU are offering a no-strings pay rise for the vast majority of workers, that's in line with deals being put to members for acceptance elsewhere.

 

[SunSeeker]

The fact ASLEF are recommending acceptance suggests it's reasonable. The fact the RMT are balloting members, with a neutral position

I stopped reading here, if you think rejecting the offer and balloting for strike is a 'neutral position' then you are just trolling, not wasting my time reading further.

 

[Mojo]

The fact ASLEF are recommending acceptance suggests it's reasonable.

I have said above why Aslef members are more likely to find this offer acceptable compared to RMT. Freezing the pay bands affects a far greater proportion of RMT and Tssa members than it does Aslef.

 

[footprints]

I stopped reading here, if you think rejecting the offer and balloting for strike is a 'neutral position' then you are just trolling, not wasting my time reading further.

If you'd finished reading that sentence you'd have seen the RMT was in reference to the national dispute. If the RMT can ballot on a 5% offer there, with a neutral position as I said, then a 5% no strings offer for LU staff hardly seems outrageously unreasonable.

 

[winks]

To clarify is it correct that TfL staff only get a TfL staff Oyster + nominee card?

 

[Mojo]

To clarify is it correct that TfL staff only get a TfL staff Oyster + nominee card?

No; London Underground, MTR Elizabeth line, Arriva Rail London (Overground), Tram Operations Limited, Rail for London Infrastructure, and KAD (DLR) staff get them as well. Bus drivers working for London bus operators receive a Bus operator (and Bus operator nominee) pass which has slightly different validity and is a different colour.

 

[rmt4ever]

It makes more sense when you consider that the majority of Aslef members are on a “spot” rate (i.e. they are all paid the same as their colleagues doing the same job over the same hours). Yes they have some members who are managers and within Service Control who will be on a pay band but this will be a significant minority.


I presume this refers to the fact that staff and their spouse/dependents who entered service after rail privatisation do not receive Priv discounts and that staff are also liable to pay tax on their discounted National Rail season ticket to get to work (except staff who commute on the two Tocs with which TfL has done a deal). This has been the case since rail privatisation and is not a new thing.

I was told that railway staff working for the new Crossrail and even the North London Line get the same perks with free travel as London Underground railway staff, but in addition a 75% national discount card. Maybe the Underground people just want parity with their Crossrail colleagues, which seems reasonable.

 

[Mojo]

I was told that railway staff working for the new Crossrail and even the North London Line get the same perks with free travel as London Underground railway staff, but in addition a 75% national discount card. Maybe the Underground people just want parity with their Crossrail colleagues, which seems reasonable.

That is correct. Staff working for MTR Elizabeth line or Arriva Rail London receive this, as both of these companies are Train Operating Companies. Tram Operations Ltd (the FirstGroup company that operates London Trams) staff also receive this as a quirk of history too.

 

[Daniel]

I was told that railway staff working for the new Crossrail and even the North London Line get the same perks with free travel as London Underground railway staff, but in addition a 75% national discount card. Maybe the Underground people just want parity with their Crossrail colleagues, which seems reasonable.

That was indeed part of the pay claim by RMT at least, but the company stated that discussions around this would not form part of the pay deal. I think if LU staff were offered 5% in addition to the same travel benefits other colleagues have then it'd be accepted - personal opinion of course.

 

[Mawkie]

I think if LU staff were offered 5% in addition to the same travel benefits other colleagues have then it'd be accepted - personal opinion of course.

Specifically with regard to 'Priv', does anyone know how these negotiations play out between TfL and RDG?

I always assumed that any deal is unfairly weighted towards TfL staff i.e. the value of a national rail ticket can be vastly more expensive than a day or two of LU use for visiting national rail staff.

Is it that TfL won't offer the Priv, or that RDG won't offer it?

 

[ThameslinkUser]

I should imagine it would be a cost-per-employee basis given the reason stated directly above. This is not unprecedented and is in fact how the Network Rail PRIV works, presumably for similar reasons.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/958950/response/2305191/attach/2/FOI202300450%20Response.pdf

Each leisure card issued to an employee who takes it out incurs a charge to Network Rail of £200 per annum for the 2022/23 tax year. This is paid directly to Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and will increase with the Retail Price Index (RPI) each year.

 

[Mawkie]

I should imagine it would be a cost-per-employee basis given the reason stated directly above. This is not unprecedented and is in fact how the Network Rail PRIV works, presumably for similar reasons.

That's fascinating thanks. I had no idea it was a fairly simple financial transaction.

I presumed it was a mutual consideration - we let you use our network, and you'll let us use your network.

Not suggesting that £200 would be the figure demanded from TfL, but if it were, that doesn't seem a lot of money to help get a deal over the line.

 

[greyman42]

That's fascinating thanks. I had no idea it was a fairly simple financial transaction.

I presumed it was a mutual consideration - we let you use our network, and you'll let us use your network.

Not suggesting that £200 would be the figure demanded from TfL, but if it were, that doesn't seem a lot of money to help get a deal over the line.

What is the £200 for? Could it be tax for the HMRC?

 

[Dstock7080]

delete

 

[winks]

What is the current basic salary for LU drivers ?

 

[Dstock7080]

63,901

 

[kw12]

Are the RMT really going to get a turnout of 50% or above here given the offer on the table seems pretty reasonable?

It was achieved.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tra...fer-rejected-london-underground-b1128052.html

A total of 5,334 of 9,723 RMT members took part in the ballot, with 4,827 voting yes to strike action and 505 no.
...

Under union laws, a strike ballot is only valid if 50 per cent of all members take part in the vote, and if 40 per cent of all members vote in favour of action.
In this ballot, only 49.7 per cent of the RMT’s Underground members voted “yes” – but the total was pushed above the 50 per cent needed by the 505 “no” votes.

Under new Government laws, TfL would be able to order its staff to provide “minimum service levels” during a strike – enabling at least 40 per cent of services to operate.
Labour mayor Mr Khan now has to decide whether to rely on Tory trade union restrictions to keep London moving.

I think it unlikely that Mk Khan will ask TfL to issue work notices but as far as I know he has not ruled it out.

 

[Florence Rox]

Looks like there will be massive disruption from Jan 6 until Jan 12. Sadiq may be forced to issue work notices.

 

[SunSeeker]

Looks like there will be massive disruption from Jan 6 until Jan 12. Sadiq may be forced to issue work notices.

I've not read details about the legal side but surely he can't be 'forced' to do anything. I would expect as the Mayor he has the choice to use it or not use it.

Regardless he already said the minimum service levels legislation "isn't fit for purpose for TfL in relation to safety requirements" on the Tube so I very much doubt he will. And he's completely right - there's no current way it would work logistically.

 

[Thirteen]

Strange they've not opted for Saturdays or Sundays.

Difficult for Sadiq Khan to issue work notices as Labour is opposed to the MSL Bill. It does seem like LUL and RMT is always in dispute one way or another although I wonder what it would take to do a better pay offer if TfL cannot budge from 5%.

Interesting the ballot was super close, indeed it wouldn't have passed if anyone who voted against strike action had abstained.

 

[Mawkie]

Strange they've not opted for Saturdays or Sundays.

Er, they have.

21st December 2023

Dear RMT Members

RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2023 - LONDON UNDERGROUND

The details of the strike action are as follows:

Engineering Vehicles Operations and Maintenance (formerly Transplant) members are instructed NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts commencing between:

18:00 hours on Friday 5th January and 17:59 hours on Saturday 6th January 2024


Also, NOT TO WORK ANY OVERTIME OR REST DAY WORKING between:

18:00 hours on Saturday 6th January and 23:59 hours on Friday 12th January 2024


Track Access Control, Power Control and London Underground Control Centre members are instructed NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts commencing between:

00:01 hours Sunday 7th January and 23:59 hours on Monday 8th January 2024


Service Controller and Service Operator members are instructed NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts commencing between:

00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Tuesday 9th January 2024
00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Thursday 11th January 2024


All other London Underground members are instructed NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts commencing between:

00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Monday 8th January 2024
00:01 hours and 23:59 hours on Wednesday 10th January 2024