Agency workers who worked for the Trainpeople agency on London Underground were led to believe they would get their chance to show LU why they deserve permanent employment.
RMT had argued LU should take them on when LU terminated the contract with the agency on 16th January.
But rather than simply employing the workers who had stood on LU gatelines for five years, LU insisted on putting workers through a day of assessments and role plays. They assured us this was a formality, that all 33 would get the jobs they deserve.
But three days into the assessments and a minority have passed! LU is almost saying that they were good enough to work for a pittance, but not good enough for full pay.
What an insult to years of service!
But it doesn't add up that the majority would simply fail the assessment for the role that they had already worked.
With role play scenarios involving knowledge of LU's step free access guide, it seems LU is expecting former agency staff to have a higher level of knowledge than a person from the street. And yet LU will say they failed because of the high standard of applicants from the street.
LU, you have already broken the Agency Workers Regulations, discriminating against agency workers while they covered your contract. It is totally wrong to compound that discrimination now by skewing the assessments.
LU have played with emotions and expectations and dealt big blows to our confidence. But we have got to remember we only pushed LU to do assessments through our campaign. The campaign started with a demand for justice for 33 sacked agency workers. It remains a campaign for all 33. Even if LU accepts a handful we will not give up fighting for jobs for them all.
