tubeworker a regular bulletin by tubeworkers for tubeworkers τττ 25 february 2003 NO TO WAR NO TO SADDAM τ saddam is a butcher τ millions oppose war for oil τ needed: workplace action τ

RANKLY, I WOULDN’T P*** ON SADDAM himself in the leadership of this movement. FHUSSEIN IF HE WAS ON FIRE. Our union The TUC should recall its congress, and was passing resolutions condemning him the unions should force the Labour Party to NO STRIKE - for torturing trade unionists 15 years re-convene its conference too - Mick Rix ago, while the British and American has already demanded this. governments were doing business with The anti-war movement is calling for NO WAY! him.” So said Bob Crow. Quite right too. everyone to gather in Trafalgar Square Saddam is a butcher, who oppresses and at 6pm on the day that war starts. As SO AFTER ALL THIS TIME, Ken and Kiley enslaves the peoples of Iraq. We offer our many of us as possible should be there. are soon to take over. Ken has already solidarity to those people in their struggle τττ said he wants to see some kind of to get rid of him. HE GOVERNMENT MAY THINK that it can longer-term pay deal. But Bush’s and Blair’s war is not Tface down a few demonstrations, but it Many drivers remembering the 35- about liberating the Iraqi peoples. Even willhave a serious problem if we can pull hour-week deal would say “never if it does topple Saddam, it will replace off some protest action at work. To quote again”. However, it should be him with a leader who will be little better, Bob Crow again: “If they go ahead with remembered that that deal was a but more compliant to the USA. an illegal war, we should take illegal management/ASLEF stitch up courtesy It is not about freedom, it’s about oil.A industrial action.” of the unlamented Kevin Rose, the river of innocent blood will be spilled for We should make him stick to his words, ASLEF District Officer at the time. the profits of the big oil companies. And as this kind of thing really needs leadership If there was a multi-year deal worth it’s about US power - the USA asserting from the unions. They should call a serious money plus improvements in itself as ‘globocop’, anyone who crosses it stoppage of work for the full day after the conditions, then it would be worth to be crushed. war starts; and a two-minute stoppage at looking at. What about a four-day week τττ 11am on every day the war goes on. with some reduction in hours? That HE RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS proved With or without a lead from the unions, would be something worthwhile, Tdramatically how deeply unpopular Tube workers should take a stand at work. wouldn’t it? this war is. Some two million people The FBU have covered themselves, their However, there is one thing that we marched in London, Belfast and Glasgow engines and their stations with posters and must never accept: a no-strike deal. on Saturday 15, and millions more around stickers for their pay claim. We should Our strength lies in our ability to take the world. wear badges, and decorate every station action to defend ourselves - any no Yet Blair arrogantly declares that he will and train with anti-war publicity. strike deal would destroy that. take no notice. The issue of the war has shown up how flimsy and inadequate Want to get every issue of Tubeworker (published twice a month) sent to you? Send us a Britain’s ‘democracy’ is. There should be fiver (cheques payable to WL Bulletins) - and your address! a referendum before any war. Got a story for Tubeworker? We welcome and will publish reports and comments from all τττ Tube workers. Also get in touch if you want to come to our regular readers’ meetings, or to get involved in action about any of the issues we’ve covered. E WILL HAVE TO FORCE THE Contact Workers’ Liberty, PO Box 823, London SE15 4NA 020-7207-3997 GOVERNMENT to listen to the popular W e-mail: [email protected] - Website www.workersliberty.org opposition to the war. The best way to do New! Subscribe to T ubeworker by e-mail: Send a message to that is to keep building the movement that T ubeworker-subscribe@yahoogr oups.com took to the streets a couple of weeks ago. Tubeworker p&p S. Matgamna The labour movement needs to put NUTS AND BOLTS on trains, and whatever other measures T ubeworker is are necessary to deal with this problem. produced by The Central Line bolts situation goes tubeworkers in from farce to scandal. Management well AMILY NFRIENDLY the Alliance for and truly embarrased themselves by F U Workers’ Liberty, putting the Drain back into action, only to LUL managers are like limbo dancers. an organisation suspend it again when they discovered the Just when you thought they couldn’t go fighting in the unions, the bolts had only been tightened with that any lower, they take it down another notch. A driver had her childcare arrangements Socialist Alliance high-tech device, the finger. Meanwhile, and the Labour Party for a station staff are shivering out on the street, go to pot at short notice, so she had to miss socialist alternative to both directing the none-too-happy passengers. the back half of her shift two days running. capitalism and Stalinism, based It is absolute madness that privatisation Guess what LUL did? Sacked her! on common ownership and can still go ahead in this chaos. It is clear Fortunately, sense (and good union democracy. to everyone that PPP will more - and worse representation) prevailed at the Appeal and We want one democratic, - repeats of this. So where is the last-ditch she was reinstated. But LUL is going to fighting union for all attempt to stop it? There might be talk have to do a lot better than this before we railworkers. We reject artificial believe their guff about ‘work-life balance’ divisions between workers of from the unions, but where is the action? different grades. We oppose and ‘family-friendly policies’. racism, sexism, homophobia WHAT DOES PTOA MEAN? and all prejudice that divides BACK TO WORK us. Only our bosses benefit As in the ‘professional train operators from a divided workforce. agreement’? As far as our unions are Also saved from the sack – an SA on concerned, not much to worry about. the Picc, fired after having the cheek to Meanwhile, anyone powering the gates That’s OK then - except that as far as have a leg ulcer operated on whilst on down for their own safety should be well LUL is concerned, it’s another story. probation. within their rights and should get their The word is that management will His RMT branch geared itself up, union’s backing. look to extend maximum driving time flexed its muscles to management, and and ban putting trains away after 4 now the SA concerned is back at work. hours 15, all under the cover of this ALAS SMITH AND JONES ‘professional’ agreement. 4 hours 15 is BACK TO THE TABLE Think you have the right to have a too long as it is, never mind an increase. Bakerloo management tried to impose pseudonym on your name badge? Think We need to be ready to kick this new rosters at Marylebone without proper again. Now, you have to plead your case rubbish out. The way to reduce trains consultation with the staff. Instead of just with management and prove that you’ve being stabled after 4 hours 15 is to moaning, station staff organised through got a really really good reason. reduce the number of turns that run so the RMT to refuse to work the new rosters Since there is a record of who is using close to the rostering parameters. Ask and stick to the old ones. what name, it should not matter one bit any driver, ‘professional’ or not. Result? Management withdrew the whether or why you want an alias. This rosters, and went back to the negotiating new policy can only have been dreamed BUSINESS NEEDS table. There’s a lesson there for all of us. up by people who do not take abuse and threats on the frontline. And by a Every so often, LUL dreams up some management that wants to own us body new device to get us to do more for less. FALLING STANDARDS and soul and does not care if that means This time it is Business Needs Schematics. As if the horrible McDonald’s ads compromising our safety. They get the stats for how many tickets go weren’t bad enough, now we are getting through your gates then determine how Evening Standard adverts on the MEET THE NEW BOSS many staff you need on your station. gatelines. So they can write all sorts of Tubeworker suspects that we won’t see Ken Livingstone has appointed our new insulting, abusive lies about us, but we boss. Bye bye Paul Godier (pass round the many staffing increases, but stand by to be still have our stations turned into told that your station does not need you. hankies - not), hello Tim O’Toole. He was billboards for their nasty little rag. previously president of Conrail in America The calculations take no account of Apparently, if gateline advertising is interchanging, how many passengers need until it was split and sold off. No change damaged or defaced, it has to be there then. help, passengers going through the manual completely removed. gate, the dangers facing SAs working We can not confirm rumours that Tim’s alone, or loads of other local factors. But previous rail company didn’t actually carry that’s what comes of having decisions NASTY SHOCK any passengers. Instead, apparentyly, it made by formulae, rather than by looking Recently, an SA at Old Street got an transported cattle - which would at least at reality. How about Railway Needs Staff electric shock from the UTS gates. Old mean that he has the necessary experience Schematics instead? Street’s gates are out of service until the to provide London commuters with the cause is thoroughly investigated. But comfort to which they are accustomed. HITTING BACK Tubeworker thinks that all gates of that Tim says “we want to make London type (air-operated) should be taken out. Underground the best transport system in Violence against staff is a severe Still, that would need management to care the world”. Starting with his wage packet: problem at the east end of the District more about staff safety than about revenue. one of the best in the country! line. ASLEF has told LUL: act to protect the drivers or we will ballot to strike. RMT should join them. It is management’s responsibility to What should you do if you see a Central Line train? provide a safe system of working. We need more staff on stations, extra staff Make a bolt for it!