Professional Documents
Culture Documents
across the unions ... across the grades ... across the tracks ...
WHAT MAKES A COMPANY PLAN?
Job cuts
There will be no frontline job cuts – my arse! Management are deliberately leaving vacancies open, and in doing so,
saving millions. Let’s be clear, unfilled vacancies caused by retirement, promotion, etc. are job cuts. Further, there
seems to be an unwritten rule that anyone who goes to a CDI will be sacked whatever the defence and that position
isn’t filled either. Furthermore, if you go on a career break you’re very unlikely to come back – and yes, you got it, that
vacancy won’t be filled either. This is the case across the board, stations, signals, service control, engineering, fleet etc.
The additional impact is to freeze the current workforce, no movements, no promotions and over a period of time
(and not that long a time at that) a significantly contracted workforce as the ladder is pulled up from new entrants as
unemployment rises.
Imposition of Rosters and breaches of Agreements
As the workforce contracts and in preparation, management will also look to changing/imposing new rosters.
Alongside management’s attempts to demand what hours you work, when they like, they will also necessarily breach
framework agreements. This is currently the subject of a major dispute among our members under the Signals
Framework Agreement.
Closures
Management are looking at a programme for Ticket Office closures across the board with key Central London
locations excepted (though their turn will eventually come too if LUL get their way).
Restructure
Take management’s review of station groups for instance; they’re looking at clumping all section 12 stations together
as a prelude to shafting the open section stations. They’re also looking at bringing back line cover. No doubt they'll be
looking to re-introduce old ideas previously knocked back like 'remote monitoring' and 'mobile supervision'. The
current re-organisation among management grades (DMT, DSM's etc) is part of this structural change.
De-Skilling and Multi-Tasking
Back in 2006 management imposed the new ‘rule book’ - this replaced the Working Reference Manual. As we said at
the time, the rule books are nothing of the sort. They contain no rules, just guidelines, permitting managers to ‘make
things up as they go along’. Their next step is to do away with Safety Critical licensing by April 2010. Coupled with
the rule books, this lays the foundation for a fundamental restructure of our job. They expect generalised competency
to replace safety critical licensing. As a complimentary system to licensing, there’s nothing wrong with competency,
but as a replacement it opens the door to multi-skilling/tasking and massive job cuts i.e. one person doing the job of
three etc. It also allows the future use of agency staff at a pittance of our pay and conditions won over the years.
Cuts in Safety
Always a favourite! Attempts at further cuts in safety will be inevitable as the recent dangerous proposed cuts in track
patrols on the JLE illustrate.
Bullying/Intimidation and union bashing
In preparation for their assault management will step up their bullying of staff and begin their obligatory attack on
trade union reps and anyone who stands up for their rights, stitching people up for any minor issue (email ‘abuse’
seems to be bit of a favourite at the moment!). Furthermore, management will take advantage of any differences
between the unions in order to divide and conquer. Duffy makes clear in his 2007 power-point presentation that the
unions are “still too militant”. Taking on the unions, smashing or neutering us, will be a key LU objective.
The end of PPP... And more job cuts!
And of course, the disaster that was Metronet will look like a tea party when cash-strapped Tube Lines comes
crashing down this year raising the spectre of further job losses and the ‘Jobs for Life’ deal raises its ugly head again.
And, all this BEFORE any redundancies are announced!
Across The Tracks
The Rank & File paper for Tube and Rail workers
...it’s not what union you’re in ... it’s what side you’re on...