Cashless LUL Canteens

Our Ref: HSR/1/3
Head Office Circular: NP/357/21
20th September 2021
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
REGIONAL COUNCILS

Dear Colleague,

CASHLESS LUL CANTEENS

Your National Executive Committee (NEC) met on 15th September 2021 to discuss a report from its Health and Safety Sub-committee relating to a resolution carried by the London Transport Regional Council:

This Region congratulates the union regarding the part they played, along with the London Travel watch organisation, in successfully campaigning London Underground Ltd to reverse their decision to go ‘cashless’. Many people still rely on cash only and it is discriminatory to withhold their access to certain services.

Therefore, this Region calls upon the Union to pledge the same full support to reverse the decision to make staff canteens on LUL cashless. As COVID restrictions are coming to an end, so should the cashless situation in our staff canteens, which as a result of some staff are unable to access basic provisions such as hot food and beverages during a long shift.
In the first instance we would like to call upon the General Secretary to write to both Sodexo and London Underground Ltd and insist they restore cash in the canteens. And call upon the Executive and LUL Company Council to fully support this cause.
This Union should be supporting organisations such as the which Freedom to Pay campaign, which rightly points out that 25 million people in this country rely on cash. We should not be pushing people who do not have contactless accounts to the margins of society.

The report adopted by the NEC is as follows:

We recognise that the move to cashless transactions was an important Covid-19 mitigation measure in halting the transmission of the virus. The RMT position in relation to removing such Covid-19 mitigation measures is that employers review their Coronavirus risk assessments and consult with RMT safety reps as part of this process to assess whether or not such measures are still required, that no mitigation measures should be removed until this process is complete.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to write to Serco and London Underground explaining our position and for the GS to insist that if the risk assessment review process has indicated that cashless arrangements are no longer required but the decision to stick with this arrangement has been made for reasons other than those relating to health and safety then they should return to having the option of using cash transactions in LUL canteens. Additionally, for the General Secretary to advise the LUL Company Council accordingly.

Branches and Regional Councils to be advised.

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members.

Yours sincerely


Michael Lynch
General Secretary