RMT’s Underground strikes - Policy Briefing

26 November 2021

RMT’s Underground strikes in this briefing we clarify RMT’s position in the dispute over the Night Tube and set out how it can be resolved.

Contrary to public statements made by the Mayor of London on the first day of the action, RMT did offer to talk at ACAS - but was ignored It is deeply disappointing that the Mayor of London has made incorrect public statements to the effect that RMT refused to attend talks yesterday. This is not true. At just after 4.30pm on Wednesday 24th November, RMT wrote to London Underground stating quite clearly that the union was available to attend ACAS talks. The email, which has been published on the RMT London website1, reads ‘We are happy to attend ACAS to resolve the dispute. And are available to do so’. There was no reply to this email. RMT has written to the Mayor expressing its disappointment and setting the record straight. It is not clear why the Mayor has said that RMT refused to attend talks but it is possible that he was given incorrect information by hawks within TfL. This dispute can be resolved through negotiation. No one should be compelled to work night shifts on the Night Tube. RMT is and remains available for talks to resolve the dispute.

Why RMT members are taking this action over Night Tube shifts RMT members are taking this action after London Underground abolished 200 part-time specialist Night Tube driving roles. When the Night Tube was introduced, the unions agreed with London Underground that Night Tube night shifts would be reserved for people who volunteered for these part-time Night Tube driving roles.

Earlier this year London Underground scrapped these roles and said that when it reopened, night shifts would be incorporated into rosters. Night shifts on the Night Tube would now be compulsory. This means that drivers could end up working a mixture of days, late shifts and night shifts. Workers will be rostered onto a combination of late shifts and night shifts one week before moving to a different pattern the next week. These changes were never agreed with RMT. They were simply pushed through. https://www.rmtlondoncalling.org.uk/content/london-underground-claim-rmtrefused-acas-talks-incorrect 1

Why London Underground’s actions are unfair and unsafe The health risks associated with shift work are well established. As the Health and Safety Executive says: “Irregular hours of work and work patterns that include night and early morning shifts can lead to disruption of the internal body clock, sleeping difficulties and fatigue. If workers are fatigued, they will be less alert, their reaction time will be slower, they will find it harder to concentrate and they may make poor decisions.

This can lead to accidents and injuries.”2 The dangers of shift-based fatigue on the Underground should be apparent. Drivers will end up working late shifts and night shifts together and changing their shift patterns radically from week to week. Drivers’ rest days are already being rostered so that they start at 7.30am at the end of a night shift. This is deeply unfair. It makes the lives of drivers with caring responsibilities more difficult damaging their attempts to preserve a work-life balance. But it’s also adding risk into their jobs and passenger travel.

Abolishing the Night Tube roles, rolling these Night Tube night shifts into drivers’ rosters and making them compulsory is a dangerous gamble with our members’ working lives and passengers’ safety.

Working on the Underground has already become more dangerous Underground staff already face substantial risks when they go to work. In a recent survey, 63% of all workers surveyed across London Underground, Overground and other TfL services reported that they have been subjected to workplace violence from passengers since the pandemic began. 76% of those employed in public-facing roles, including station staff, drivers and cleaners, reported that they have been subjected to workplace violence from passengers since the pandemic began. The Night Tube is when our members are most at risk. The Night Tube is politically popular but it poses significant risks for workers and these must be taken seriously and mitigated. London Underground’s current actions look as though they are trying to please political masters at the expense of workers safety.

This dispute can be settled We have set out our position and indicated how this dispute can be resolved. It is deeply regrettable that actions have been taken which have further inflamed feeling over this issue, but we remain available for talks.

What you can do Write to Transport for London’s Commissioner, Andy Byford (andybyford@tfl.gov.uk ), asking him to meet the unions with an offer to resolve the dispute.

2 https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/organisation/shiftwork.htm

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