Newsletter: October, 2009

East London Rail Branch News Vol II, Issue 3 October 2009

0626 East London Rail
Branch New s
Email: eastlondonrail@rmt.org.uk

Chair: John Clarke– 07795237318 Secretary: Ed Shine–07940340128

National Union of Rail, Maritime, & Transport Workers’
GENERAL SECRETARY: Bob Crow

THEY WON’T GET YOU
-IF YOU’RE PART SP
ST ECI
R AL
... EDI IKE £7
GR TI P
AT ON AY
5

OF THE UNION!
IS ...
!!!

WE MAY BE OLD– WE MAY BE YOUNG– ALL WITH PROBLEMS AHEAD,
BUT OUR VIEWS HAVE JUST BEEN SAID!
IF YOUR MANAGER THINKS HE’S ALL THAT– IF HE THREATENS YOU; IF HE BULLIES YOU– THEN HERE WE
ALL GO TOGETHER.
 PUT IN A GRIEVANCE UNDER THE COMPANY’S INDIVIDUAL GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE.
 FILL IN FORM L2 (AVAILABLE FROM YOUR REP. OR BRANCH SECRETARY)
 FILL IN FORM ET1 (WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF YOUR REP. OR BRANCH SECRETARY)
THEN SEE THEM IN COURT!
NEXT BRANCH MEETING: TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2009, 1700 HOURS:
1 The Railway Tavern Public House (Conservatory room), Angel Lane,
Stratford, London E15… CONTACT THE SECRETARY FOR DETAILS


REVENUE PROTECTION FIRSTLY, THE BRANCH
WISHES TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IN PRIN-
CIPAL, WE DO NOT TAKE ISSUE WITH THE EXIS-
TENCE OR CREATION OF THESE ROLES.
They have the potential to be a useful conduit for
staff/ manager communication.
This is something we have always believed there
should be more of... If only they would talk to us a
bit more rather than barking orders!
Such position can also provide the individuals with
new skills and maybe opportunities to some extent.,
which is always something to be applauded.
WE HEAR THAT RPI’S ARE BEING ASKED TO BUT: THEY ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE OR A REPLACE-
SIGN NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS. WE URGE EVERY SINGLE MENT FOR THE OFFICIALLY RECOGNISED COLLEC-
MEMMBER WITHIN THE REVENUE DEPARTMENT NOT TO TIVE BARGAINING MACHINERY WHICH IS THE BA-
SIGN ANYTHING UNTIL THE ‘NEW’ JOB DESCRIPTION SIS FOR COMMUNICATION / NEGOTIATION BE-
HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED AND AGREED BY THE RMT. THE TWEEN NXEA AND THE RAIL UNIONS (RMT, TSSA,
COMPANY APPEAR TO BE CLAIMING THAT THE ONLY DIF- ASLE&F).
FERENCE IS THAT THE COMPANY NAME ON IT HAS BEEN The Company always loves its’ little self-delusion
CHANGED FROM ‘ONE’ TO ‘NXEA’; BUT WE HEAR DIFFER- that it can run this railway without Trade Union in-
put (particularly RMT), and there is a danger that
ENTLY; DO INSPECTORS NEED TO BE TOLD TO BE HON-
‘Communication Champion Meetings’ are an at-
EST?! WE ARE ALL SUBJECT TO THE SAME EXPECTA-
tempt to by-pass Local Negotiation and Bargaining.
TIONS AND NATURAL ASSUMPTIONS OF HONESTY , An example we have been provided with is a recent
COMMON DECENCY, AND THE LAW OF ENGLAND. Revenue Protection Communication Champion
WE HAVE TO BE AS HONEST AS OUR MANAGEMENT– Meeting. Items on the Agenda included rostering of
IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT. spare Sundays, performance targets, and barrier ros-
WE SOMETIMES THINK WE DEAL WITH BIZARRE SITUA- ters. These are all items that by rights management
TIONS BUT THEY CAN’T GET MUCH MORE BIZARRE THAN should have to sit down and consult, negotiate, and
A RECENT ‘MANAGING FOR ATTENDANCE’ STAGE 2 MEET- sign an agreement over. In this particular case, due
ING, WHERE THE HEARING MANAGER USED SOME DIS- to the informal nature of the meeting and the fact
CRETION AND KEPT THE MEMBER ON STAGE 1 that there is no negotiating authority at them, noth-
(CONGRATULATIONS...); BUT THEN PROCEEDED TO STATE ing got resolved satisfactorily and no agreements
THAT THE MEMBER IS ON ANOTHER 52-WEEKS MONITOR- made.
ING! (...LESS CONGRATULATIONS!) SO EVEN THOUGH THE THE BRANCH URGES ALL STAFF AND
MEMBER STAYS ON STAGE 1, THEY ARE SUBJECT -FROM ‘COMMUNICATION CHAMPIONS’ TO PROVIDE AN
THE ORIGINAL STAGE 1 TO WHEN THIS IS UP- TO AP- AGENDA WHEN RECEIVED TO YOUR LOCAL REP.,
PROXIMATELY 97 WEEKS MONITORING!!! THE PROCEDURE AND IF IN SUCH A MEETING, RESIST ANY ATTEMPTS
STATES CLEARLY THAT: ‘THE MAXIMUM LENGTH OF TIME AT TAKING BARGAINING POWER AWAY FROM
AN EMPLOYEE’S ATTENDANCE CAN BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW YOURSELVES (THROUGH YOUR UNION) AND GIV-
IS 52 WEEKS’. CAN THE BRANCH PROPOSE A NEW ING MANAGEMENT THE ABILITY TO CHANGE RULES
MFA PROCEDURE FOR MANAGERS... ‘MANAGING AND BULLDOZE THROUGH NEW ONES WITHOUT
FOR ABILITY.’ BEING CONFRONTED!


NICK GRIFFIN?! COMPLAINING THAT HIS APPEARANCE ...SO ALL COMPLETELY IN LINE
ON BBC1’S ‘QUESTION TIME’ WAS ‘UNFAIR’ AND ‘LIKE A
WITH HIS PARTY POLICY THEN!!!
LYNCH-MOB’...???
‘NATIONAL DISTRESS’...
BILL ARRIBAS AND THE AD-
VENTURE OF THE WELFARE- MAKING A
LESS WELFARE VISIT... HABIT OF
The Branch has had a report that Mr. Bill Arribas, IT*!!!
Romford Station Manager has performed at least
*IT = RIPPING US
one so-called welfare (or ‘home’) visit in which it
OFF
does not seem that the staff member’s welfare
was his top priority, but rather, threatening him It is a little known fact that National Express Group
with dismissal was! (NEG) owns Train Companies all over the world, and
The member concerned, having been off sick Melbourne railways (Victoria State, Australia) is one
with a serious and diagnosed on-going condi- of these unfortunates. The following might sound
tion for some months now, received Arribas on familiar...
his door-step with a roster clerk in attendance. NEG failed to make the profits they expected , and
He made the fatal mistake of not only letting him tried to renegotiate their Melbourne Rail contract.
in, but NOT HAVING A UNION REPRESENTATIVE This was rejected, so they stopped financing it and
PRESENT AT THIS MEETING. forfeited a £48 million Performance bond.
The facts of this meeting, we are told, is that Ar- Sound familiar???
ribas spent less time enquiring as to how the Now, in 2009, the same NEG has effectively stopped
Company could assist etc and more time forcing its’ financing of its’ East Coast Mainline (ECML) fran-
chise, and in the process forfeited a £32 million Per-
BUPA appointments on him, trying to get him
formance Bond as a result. Just like old times, then!
back to work quickly, and worst of all apparently
Luckily the ECML shouldn’t have anything to worry
even telling him ‘don’t be surprised if you get a
about... As long as we don’t follow poor old Mel-
letter [from NXEA] advising you they will be let- bourne’s example! Because in 2002 they went from
ting you go’. the frying pan into the fire when NEG got thrown
This is outrageous- although not surprising- be- out... And Connex took over!!!
haviour, but the lessons to be learned are:
AUSTRALIA, WELCOME
 THE COMPANY MUST INFORM YOU IN AD-
VANCE OF THIS VISIT.
TO OUR WORLD!!!
 YOU CAN AGREE MUTUALLY TO MEET AT ...PS: IS THIS THE SAME MR. BILL ARRIBAS
WORK, AT HOME, OR IN A NEUTRAL PLACE WHO, THE BRANCH HAS BEEN INFORMED,
(e.g., café) LIVES IN NORFOLK, WAS A GUARD’S MAN-
 YOU CAN AND SHOULD HAVE A WITNESS AGER IN NORWICH, AND GOT UP THE
WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU MEET– PREF- NOSES OF NOT ONLY HIS STAFF BUT HIS
ERABLY AN RMT REP. OWN MANAGERS TO SUCH AN EXTENT
 BE MINDFUL– SOME MANAGERS WILL THAT A 200-MILE ROUND-TRIP TRANSFER
HAVE YOUR WELFARE AT HEART; BUT TO THE WILDS OF SOUTH ESSEX WAS HIS
OTHERS WILL USE IT AS AN EXCUSE TO SPY ONLY CHOICE UNDER THE RECENT
ON YOUR LIFESTYLE AND THREATEN/ REORGANISATION???...ANSWERS
BRIBE/ BLACKMAIL YOU! ON A POSTCARD, PLEASE!

NEXT BRANCH MEETING: TUESDAY 20TH OCTOBER 2009, 1700 HOURS:
The Railway Tavern Public House (Conservatory room), Angel Lane,

TH U HT
O G
FOR THE M M N
O E T

Hadda be flashing like the daily Double. Hadda be playing on TV
Hadda be loud mouthed on the Comedy Hour... Hadda be announced over loud speakers
The CIA and Mafia are in cahoots... It hadda be said in old ladies’ language
It hadda be said in American headlines
That Kennedy stretched and smiled and got double-crossed by low-life goons and agents
Rich bankers with criminal connections
Dope pushers in CIA working with dope pushers from Cuba working with Big Time Syndicate Tampa Florida
Hadda be said with a big mouth... Hadda be moaned over factory fog horns
It Hadda be chattered on car radio news broadcasts... Hadda be screamed in the kitchen
Hadda be yelled in the basement where uncles were fighting
It hadda be howled on the streets by news boys to bus conductors
Hadda be fog-horned into New York harbour... It Hadda echo under hard hats
Hadda turn up the volume in University ballrooms... Hadda be written in library books, foot-noted
Hadda be in the headlines of the Times and Le Monde It Hadda be barked over TV
Hadda be heard in side alleys through bar-room doors
Hadda be playing on wire services- Hadda be bells ringing
Comedians stop dead in the middle of a joke in Las Vegas
It Hadda be FBI chief J Edgar Hoover and Frank Costello Syndicate Mouthpiece meeting Central Park New
York together weekends reported posthumously Time Magazine
Hadda be the Mafia and the CIA together started the war on Cuba
Bay of Pigs and poison assassination Headlines
Hadda be the dope cops and the Mafia sold all that Heroin in America
Hadda be the FBI and Organised Crime working it together in cahoots Against The Communists
Hadda be ringing on multi-national cash-registers World Wide laundry for Organised Criminal Money
Hadda be in Kissinger’s Brain. Hadda be in Rockefeller's mouth Hadda be the Central Intelligence The Fam-
ily Our Thing The Agency Mafia One Big Set Of Criminal gangs working it together in cahoots
Hangmen, murders everywhere outrage on the make secret drunk brutal dirty and rich
On top of a slag heap of prisons Industrial Cancer Garbage Cities Plutonium Smog Grandma’s bedsores Fa-
ther’s resentments
Hadda be the rulers Wanted Law and Order and then got rich on wanting protection for the Status Quo
Hadda be the CIA and the Mafia and the FBI Multi-National Capitalists’ Strong Arm Squads
The Private Detective Agencies for the oh-so-very Rich With their Armies Their Navies And Their Air Force
Bombing Planes It Hadda be CAPITALISM the vortex of this Rage
THEIR SECRET POLICE EMBRACED FOR DECADES
THE NKVD AND CIA KEEP EACH OTHERS SECRETS
THE OGPU AND DIA NEVER HIT THEIR OWN
THE KGB AND THE FBI– ONE MIND;
BRUTE FORCE; AND FULL OF MONEY...

‘IT HADDA BE PLAYING ON THE JUKEBOX’ (ABRIDGED)

By Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997). Writer and Poet; non-conformist
and anti-materialist; visionist and anti-McCarthyite.

4 Stratford, London E15… CONTACT THE SECRETARY FOR DETAILS


‘PENSIONS SENSE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PACKAGE’

PENSION REPORT
The original pensions proposal from LOROL con- pay 20% back into the Scheme ; and will guarantee
tained a proposal to move to so-called ’Smart Pen- the right of members to ‘opt out’ if they choose.
sions’. This is nominally a lower salary (which in reality Members should be aware however that East
stays the same but avoids as high National Insurance London Rail Branch has been informed that your
contributions), but the Company have offered to put Local and Company Council Reps will not be able
20% of their savings from this back into the pension to advise on whether or not to join this scheme, as
scheme from 2010, and every year to follow. if in any further doubt on the nature of the
This currently works out at £24,000, but should rise Scheme, they should consult an Independ-
year by year. ent Financial Advisor.
LOROL also agreed to try and bring the scheme to the REVENUE PROTECTION CONCUSSION!
approximately 250 staff members who are not yet
members, and make new entrants to the Company IT HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED TO THE BRANCH
automatically members of the scheme in future (on THAT AS PART OF THE RE-STRUCTURING
the proviso that all have the option to opt out if they AGREEMENT, STAFF WITH OVER 10 YEARS SER-
wish). VICE WOULD RECEIVE AN EXTRA DAYS’ AN-
In addition they will take on the costs of administer- NUAL LEAVE. THE COMPANY ARE NOW CLAIM-
ing a child-care voucher scheme and a bike-to-work ING THAT THIS WAS NOT WHAT WAS IN-
scheme. TENDED, AND THEY REFUSE TO IMPLEMENT IT.
This scheme has met with approval amongst Rep’s as SO WE ASK MS. BENTLEY TO CLARIFY: DOES
introducing the Pension Scheme saves members THE COMPANY ADMIT IT COCKED-UP, IN
money as they contribute less. WHICH CASE IT SHOULD GIVE OUR MEMBERS
The RMT expert Pensions advisor has confirmed that THEIR DAY; OR IS THIS AN INTENTIONALLY AT-
this package is well-worthy of consideration due pri- TEMPT TO REVOKE AN AGREED PRINCIPAL?
marily to the fact that the Company will year-on-year ANSWERS ON A POSTCARD PLEASE!

NETWORK RAIL OPERATIONS & CUSTOMER SERVICES ANGLIA
ROUTE- BREACH OF PTR&R ARRANGEMENTS
This Branch is appalled that in the two months since the Staff Side of the Anglia Area
Council declared a further dispute over management breaches of the Promotion,
Transfer, Redundancy and Resettlement (PTR&R) arrangements, management have called no ‘Avoidance of
Dispute’ meeting.
We believe this clearly demonstrates that Network Rail has no intention of adhering to PTR&R from this point
on.
Therefore this Branch calls upon the General Grades Committee to request the General Secretary launches a
campaign to raise the awareness of our Network Rail members of what is at stake in a climate of numerous
signalling concentration schemes aimed at cutting signalling and maintenance jobs should management be
given ‘carte-blanche’ to make us many compulsory redundancies as they see fit.
The Branch also calls upon the General Grades Committee to instruct the General Secretary to immediately bal-
lot our Anglia Route Operations and Customer Services for industrial action and to be prepared to hold a na-
tional ballot for industrial action should management remain intransigent.


Brother Wallis is clearly being victimised for his
Trade Union duties by a management that ap-
pears to believe it can simply ignore all of its’
agreements with this Union and its’ obligations
under the law as laid down in the Health & Safety
at Work Act 1974.
Brother Wallis, a member and ex-Chairperson of
SUSPENSION OF BRO. GLENN WALLIS, this Branch, has been an RMT member for 21 years
and has been representing members for 19 years.
SIGNALLER, SOUTH TOTTENHAM BOX, This Branch therefore requests that the General
NETWORK RAIL OPERATIONS & CUS- Grades Committee instructs the General Secretary
TOMER SERVICES ANGLIA ROUTE to demand of Network Rail management the im-
mediate and full re-instatement of Brother Glenn
This Branch is deeply concerned to learn of the
Wallis and the cessation of all action against him.
unwarranted suspension from duty of Brother
Should the Company not re-instate Brother Wallis,
Glenn Wallis, Signaller, for carrying out his duties
we believe that this will lead to a situation of dis-
as a Safety Representative. The fact that he is also a
pute between Network Rail and this Union. This
Local Staff Representative and Secretary of the
becoming the case, we request that the General
Staff Side of the Anglia Operations and Customer
Grades Committee instructs the General Secretary
Services Area Council, which is currently in dispute
to ballot all Operations and Customer Services
with Network Rail management, cannot be merely
members in the Anglia Route for industrial action.
coincidental.

SUPPORT YOUR POSTIES!
‘RMT General Secretary, Bro. Bob that we know only too well in the
Crow recently said- transport and maritime industries.
It is crucial that the entire Trade Un- We can all see the vultures of the
ion Movement rallies around the private sector sniffing around the
CWU and their postal members in Royal Mail, looking for any opportu-
what is a fight for the future of both nity to kill off the universal service
their industry and the essential pub- and turn the Post into a money mak-
lic service that they provide for the ing racket that mirrors our experi-
British people. ence on the Railways.
The Postal workers are in the fore- The RMT stands shoulder to shoul- and impose their arrogance and ig-
der with the Postal workers; their norance with no opposition. They
front of a national fight to protect
fight is our fight, and the solidarity are, of course, wrong: as Royal Mail
jobs, working conditions, and pen-
of the Trade Union Movement will managers are finding out now; and
sions from cash-driven cuts, and
be the key to securing their victory’ as our bosses have recently found
they will get the full support of RMT
members in that battle as it is one out, and will doubtless find out
East London Rail Branch stands sol-
again. If any of these so-called
idly behind our brothers and sisters
‘managers’ happen to have a spiri-
in the CWU. The Secretary com-
tual conversion, they will always find
mented, ‘these workers, like our-
us– on the rail or the post– willing to
selves are standing up to bullying,
negotiate; failing such a miracle, they
not only in the workplace, but in ne-
will find themselves broken before
gotiations. Royal Mail managers, like
our united and collective strength
our own, live in their own little world
time and time again’.
where they can ignore trade unions



Alex Gordon has now received a total of SIXTY supporting nominations from
RMT Branches, which is a quarter of all RMT Branches, and likely to be more
than any other candidate.
So not only do we ask, in the name of the future of the Union, that you person-
ally vote Alex Gordon #1 that you recommend to all your colleagues that they
do the same.
ANYONE NOT RECEIVING A BALLOT PAPER BY 15TH DECEMBER
SHOULD CONTACT THEIR REPRESENTATIVE OR BRANCH
SECRETARY IMMEDIATELY

ALEX GORDON–
CURRENT COUNCIL OF
EXECUTIVES MEMBER
AND YOUR BRANCH’S
RMT PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINEE

RMT MEMBERS ON THE CAMPAIGN TO ELECT ALEX GORDON FOR PRESIDENT!

7 Stratford, London E15… CONTACT THE SECRETARY FOR DETAILS


PHONE: 0207 7529 8835

NEXT BRANCH MEETING:
TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2009, 1700 HOURS:
Stratford, London E15… CONTACT THE SECRETARY FOR DETAILS.
8

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