
13 March 2018
RMT Press Office:
RMT at ACAS today as industrial action looms on Docklands Light Railway
RAIL UNION RMT today confirmed that it will be attending ACAS talks today with Keolis Amey Docklands as industrial action looms on Docklands Light Railway.
The union has confirmed the following dates for action on KAD/DLR.
• 04:00 hours on Wednesday 28th March 2018 and 03:59 hours on Friday 30th March 2018
• 04:00 hours on Friday 20th April 2018 and 03:59 hours on Tuesday 24th April 2018
The second phase of action coincides with the London Marathon which winds its way around the DLR area.
The breakdown in Industrial Relations is over a whole catalogue of workplace issues which are listed below.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;
“This dispute is over the fundamental issues of workplace justice, fairness and sticking to agreements and practices that Keolis seem to believe that they can trample all over. RMT members employed by KAD have had enough of being treated like dirt and have made it clear that they are prepared to stand up and fight for their fundamental rights.
“RMT recognises the impact that our action will have and the responsibility for that will be entirely down to the company and we hope that we will now be able to make progress in the talks at ACAS today.
“Docklands Light Railway is a key component of the transport network in the Capital City and the way that staff are being treated is a stain on London. The London Mayor, who chairs Transport for London need to take full note of the workplace abuses that are happening on his watch.”
ENDS
Notes: key issues in KAD dispute
KAD Failing to Honour our Agreements
• A threat not to honour the agreement for the PSA roster pattern to be worked over the next two years.
• KAD not honouring PSA parameter agreement regarding “the same shifts in a block”. Agreed roster parameters dating back to 2013 state that the same shifts will be worked in a block. In any run of shifts, usually four, the same type of shift (early early, early, middle, late, late late) must be maintained.
• PSAs are being made to work over the agreed 1820 annual hours. Due to KAD introducing various and differing equations, PSAs are being made to work over the agreed annual hours of 1820.
• Not honouring agreements regarding the use of contractors – KAD must commit to maintaining all historic in-house capabilities.
Training needs being neglected
• Failure to provide adequate training for key competencies and skills. All training must be reviewed and members that have had competencies lapse should have those skills retrained. Training opportunities should also be made available to all members within relevant grades.
Imposition of Rosters
• Planned imposition of rosters for other grades without agreement. All threats of roster imposition must be withdrawn and all current and future rosters can only be changed once negotiated changes are agreed with RMT.
Misuse of Attendance / Capability Policies
• The capability policy is being used to cut short the sickness entitlement of members – sick pay should be paid in full. A member who is off sick is now subject to the KAD Capability Policy which allows the Company to dismiss him after 6 weeks if no suitable alternative employment can be found. This decision has been taken to save the company paying sick pay.
Tax Bills to Members
• Due to KAD miscalculating your pay dates and paying you 14 times in a tax year, members have received tax bills. This impacted mostly on those receiving Child Tax Credit as it took members over their tax allowance. KAD were aware of this and did nothing, management didn’t even inform the staff that bills may be incurred. KAD should admit negligence so HMRC can claim the unpaid tax from the company.
Health & Safety Issues
• KAD outsourced responsibility for gritting the walkways to ISS but due to cuts in funding to ISS this gritting is not being done and members are at risk.
• Failure to disclose Air Quality Assessment results as is necessary to ensure the health and safety of all staff and passengers using the system, particularly in tunnels.
• Depot Assessments for substances that pose a hazard to health are not thorough or transparent and should include RMT H&S Rep involvement.
• Risk assessments are not in place and available to all staff. KAD must commit to work with RMT H&S Reps to ensure all risk assessments are carried out.