RMT announces industrial action in two separate disputes on London Underground

TUBE UNION RMT today confirmed industrial action in two separate disputes with TfL employers:

• EDF Energy Powerlink

EDF RMT members are incensed with a pay offer of around only 1% with productivity. Since the announcement of an overwhelming ballot result in favour of action no improved offer has been forthcoming.

As a result, EDF RMT members have been instructed not to book on for any duty between 19.59 hours on 22^nd December and 07.59 hours on 24^th December nor for any duty between 19.59 hours on 26^th December and 07.59 hours on 27^th December 2009.

In addition to the above stoppages of work a continuous work to rule and overtime ban will be in operation from 20.00 hours on 22^nd December 2009 until further notice.

RMT has also been informed that Unite members have been balloted and will be taking the same action as ourselves at the same times.

• LUL Willesden Green Group Station Staff

RMT members on the Willesden Green Group have returned a magnificent vote in favour of industrial action in support of the reinstatement of their colleague, Colleen Johnston.

RMT had been hoping that management would see sense and reinstate her on appeal, but they have failed to do so.

The union has therefore decided to use the mandate for industrial action and our members on the group have been instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between 04:59 and 23:59 on Wednesday 23^rd December 2009.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said today:

"Our EDF Powerlink members are furious at the failure of the company to make a meaningful pay offer. Instead of entering into serious talks they have run to the courts and have wheeled out the anti-union laws in an attempt to shackle RMT. Unless we receive a positive offer this action will go ahead and the consequences for the Underground will be serious.

"The strike action on the Willesden Green Group is a response to a straightforward victimisation of RMT member Colleen Johnston who has a well-earned reputation for standing up for her workmates. That is why the company want to get rid of her. The trumped up charges are outrageous and RMT will not tolerate these kind of attacks on our members."

144 ticket offices and 1200 jobs under threat as Boris Johnson rips up manifesto pledge on tube cuts

TUBE AND TfL union RMT today released new information which exposes the full extent of the first wave of cuts under Boris Johnson’s £5 billion tube savings programme with 144 station ticket offices and 1200 jobs under threat of the axe.

In the first phase of LUL’s “Operational Services Review” – management code for the cuts machinery – savage reductions are being proposed across the tube network. Only main terminals will retain a full ticket office function, smaller central stations will have ticket offices open at peak times with the remainder – 144 stations – reduced to ticket machines only.

Station staff numbers will be reduced by up to 1200 with RMT warning that safety and security of the travelling public will be seriously compromised as LU drive towards unmanned operation of stations. An interim report on the planned cuts is expected before Christmas with implementation by April 2010.

In his 2008 manifesto, London Mayor Boris Johnson, who also Chair’s TfL, said that he would make transport more convenient; “By halting the proposed ticket office closures, and ensuring there is always a manned ticket office at every station.”
Boris Johnson was also photographed during the 2008 campaign at a protest against ticket office closures in Harrow and signed the petition organised by Passengers United Against Ticket Office Closures.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said today:

“The savage cuts to jobs and ticket offices exposed by RMT today show that all the pledges about services to passengers being protected from the £5 billion cuts programme are worthless.

“Boris Johnson, the Chair of TfL, was elected by Londoners on an explicit manifesto pledge to ensure a manned ticket office at every station. RMT challenges the Mayor to stick by that pledge and demand the binning of this cuts plan or stand exposed as a hypocrite who rips up key manifesto commitments to the voters who put him into office.

“The job cuts planned for underground stations would leave passengers dangerously exposed in the event of an emergency and would ratchet up the dangers for the public, particularly women, travelling late at night. It is clear from these plans that LU bosses are pushing towards unmanned operation of stations regardless of the risks.

“RMT will mobilise a campaign to stop these cuts and this union will take whatever action is required to defend our members jobs and a safe and efficient service for the travelling public. The pressure is now on Boris Johnson to stick to his word and ensure that this plan is ditched.”

RMT slams TfL & Tube Lines, latest cuts hit escalator safety inspections etc.

TUBE UNION RMT today accused TfL and Tube Lines of slashing safety standards to dangerous levels as it emerged that twice weekly inspection of escalators will be cut to just once a week and the 12 week frequency of signal maintenance on the Jubilee Line will be cut to a 16 week cycle.

The latest safety and maintenance cuts on the Tube Lines section of the Underground have come just two weeks after RMT exposed moves to hack back the frequency of track inspections on the Jubilee Line extension.

RMT reps will be raising the issues at a meeting of the Health and Safety forum today – Thursday 3^rd December – with a demand that the cuts be reversed as a matter of urgency.

RMT have pointed out that one of the causes of the Kings Cross fire was a lack of regular escalator inspections. The union are also challenging the failure to consult with health and safety reps before the cuts were implemented, making a mockery of the agreed procedures.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said today:

"We are demanding the intervention of TfL Chair Boris Johnson to reverse the safety and maintenance cuts programme which is leaking out in dribs and drabs from Tube Lines.

"The Mayor told Londoners that the cuts on London transport would not hit passengers and front line services. These latest cuts, bulldozed through by Tube Lines without consultation, make a nonsense of those assurances. These are dangerous reductions in key maintenance and safety frequencies that will set alarm bells ringing for staff and passengers alike.

"There is a growing suspicion that the Tube Lines cuts are tied in closely with the financial turmoil facing the company and the massive gap between them and TfL on the value of the next phase of their contract. With the chaotic overruns on the Jubilee Line upgrade the time has come for TfL to pull the plugs on Tube Lines before we end up plunged into a re-run of the Metronet privatisation disaster."