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White-collar jobs go as TfL axes up to 2,000
Dick Murray, Transport Editor15 Dec 2008
UP to 2,000 jobs are to be axed at Transport for London because of the credit crunch.
The transport body's 27,000 staff have been warned of a "significant reduction in jobs" over the next 18 months in an attempt to save £2.4billion and to make TfL a "leaner, fitter and more focused organisation".
The first job losses will be announced in January and most will be white-collar workers. Cut-backs are expected first in the marketing and communications, finance, business support and legal departments.
Union leaders today sought urgent talks with management and demanded to know exactly how many jobs would go. Gerry Doherty, general secretary of the TSSA transport union, which has many white-collar and managerial members, said: "This is going to be a very worrying Christmas for a great many people who won't know if they have a job next year."
He said the losses were "very bad news for Londoners who have already lost thousands of jobs in the current recession".
Although TfL stressed that "much of the job losses would come through not filling vacancies" any hint of compulsory redundancies will be met with fierce opposition from the unions.
The move follows Mayor Boris Johnson's pledge for a more cost-effective organisation after he discovered that there were more than 100 people in the press and communications section. An internal bulletin from Peter Hendy, TfL commissioner, to all staff, seen by the Evening Standard, states: "I will, with the chief officers, be making a number of changes to TfL's structure.
"While the proposed changes will result in a significant reduction in jobs within TfL these will be managed as much as possible through removal of vacant roles and transfer of existing employees into roles currently filled by non-permanent labour."
Mr Hendy said the "first stage" of the changes would begin next month and be completed by April. "It will be followed by a series of wider changes, the majority of which will take place over the next 12-18 months," adding: "This is the start of a long journey"
A senior TfL source told the Standard; "We are talking about a lot of jobs, with a figure of 2,000 being mentioned."
A TfL spokesman refused to confirm or deny the figure but said that TfL had identified £2.4billion of "efficiency savings" which would be delivered by "reducing headcount and improving technology". He stressed the cuts would not be among frontline staff - Tube drivers and station staff.
TfL numbered about 22,000 employees but this figure was swollen by 5,000 to 27,000 after the takeover of Metronet.
Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, the Tube's largest union, said: "TfL has only made vague statements about the need to reduce headcount and that can only cause alarm among our members.
"The Mayor was elected on the promise of bright new ideas, but there is nothing remotely bright or new about wielding the axe. It goes without saying that the RMT will resist any forced redundancies among our members."
Reader views (20)
Don't want to be made redundant please do something.
- Mojo, bethnal green, london, 09/12/2009 22:34
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Here is a thought. With the amount of unfortunate people being laid off recently is the congestion charge still required?
I can instantly think of 2000 people who will very shortly not be adding to congestion on the capitals roads or (over)crowding the trains and tubes.
- Jimbob, Kensington, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Having worked for London Transport Buses (celubrious, huh?!), where all the work was done by temps, everyone took their full quota of self-certificating sick-leave per year and vast amounts of time was spent faffing about and gossiping, I should imagine there's capacity for an even bigger cut than that.
- Roz, Chamonix, France, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Yes they can probably make the savings, I just hope it's the middle managers that take the brunt. Although in the strategy meetings I'm sure they have used all the buzzwords at their disposal to save themselves. The problem is that the easiest area to cut is those wot does, not those wot pontificate. Are ticket office staff white collar?
I can hear it now... "Close the ticket offices for most of the day, if they haven't got a season ticket, where they have already paid us, let them get the most expensive ticket out of the machine. If it's broken they can get penalty fared by the revenue inspectors... that's always a money spinner!"
I just hope the same people rubbing their hands in glee don't baulk when the pay-offs for lay-offs are announced.
- Ian, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Like any large-scale organisation, private or public, that has not had to worry too much about where the money comes from for the last few years TfL could do with some trimming and like any large-scale organisation 'communications' is usually in the firing line first.
However, I'd like to remind some of the previous commenters that some of these seemingly redundant communications staff were a core part of those professionals that kept London informed and running on 07/07 in circumstances that were unusual and trying. Whose website did you check first when you heard there was a massive transport incident? Doesn't matter - they would all have been getting their info from TfL. The comms teams were dealing with the information as the situation developed, volunteered as incident support on the ground and worked well into the night to ensure that the teams involved, media and general public were kept up to date. And they do this for every incident, large or small. So maybe you don't need to be encouraged to use the bus - but you'd probably notice if there was absolutely no information about transport in London what so ever.
- Emily, Peckham, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Even if they sacked everyone they still wont save £2.4 billion only by cutting capital investment will this figure be reached.
Given that the mayoral election was only 7 months ago why were Londoners not told that if elected Mayor Boris Johnson would make major cuts which would set back the progress being made in making up for the underspending on London's Transport infrustructure.
Looks like we are back to the bad old days when Tory Horace Cutler ruled the GLC and transport users paid more and more in fares for less and less in service.
No wonder international business will desert London given its antiquated transport system something Ken was at least trying to put right.
Afterall if it was'nt for Ken conning the government intothe Olympics the major upgrade around Stratford would not be happening.
If money is so short why is money being wasted replacing new buses with ones that will provide both a much inferior service and leave thousands of commuters stuck at mainline stations.
Which will lead to international companies relocating to mainland europe where proper provision of transport is based on ability to transport the damand without Rose tinted specticle thinking.
Could someone itemise ALL the ciuts and more importently the real reason they are being made "Credit Crunch" is an excuse not the real reason!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 09/12/2009 21:34
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it's not 2000 jobs, it's 2000 overpaid people doing non-jobs! if they want to save money they should empty their new building opp southwark tube and cancel that stupid energy project going on there.. over 5 million quid to power a building.. are they mad!
- George Parr, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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I've worked in Surface Transport and agree there are many more jobs that could be cut that would actually improve efficiency and output. Too many cooks spoil the broth, and TfL has hoardes of paper pushing 'project management officers' swimming in a sea of bureaucracy.
- Dave, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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R,Purvis you dont get faster loading than the 3 door artic buses at mainline stations which can swallow up to 140 passengers in a few minutes. Most commuters already having paid!
Conductors are not needed in London as it has a single flat fare and the best thing Boris could do is remove payment by cash on ALL buses, this would also save money in backroom staff at bus garages. Ken started this in the west end and on Artic routes but given only 3% of passengers pay cash it should become Londonwide.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 09/12/2009 21:34
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It just goes to show how overstaffed they were in the first place.
I don't think many people who have to work for a living, will be shedding any tears for public sector workers, losing their jobs.
- P I Staker, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Knowing several people that work for TFL, and Knowing many of the working practices, I can assure you that a lot more than 2000 people need to go!
Redundancy is bad for the individuals involved, but the economy cannot carry on bearing the load of bloated public organisations.
- Stephen, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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PI Staker - I think it is a tad insensitive of you to gloat or to shed any of your precious tears for those 2,000 people who will potentially be losing their jobs in January. Many of whom have mortgages and children to pay for. You should be ashamed of yourself. I shall be glad when Karma comes to bite you on your snide bum!
- Sarah, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Things might be done in an almost opposite way.
Staff could be re-deployed to actually improve the service to the public directly..
And as for Buses for example, there is a need for conductors to speed things up.
- R Purvis, Gravesend,Kent., 09/12/2009 21:34
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Having "worked" there as a consultant you could safely get rid of 12000 without affecting output, in fact it might increase since it might then be possible to get decisions.
And yes, you could get rid of 90% of management consultants as well without any impact.
- Oscillator, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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And a merry Christmas to you all,
so much for a season of good will.
Let's see if you are all so smug when you lose your jobs!
- Steve, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Whatever your feelings towards TFL and whether the cuts are needed or not there shouldn't be any satisfaction knowing that 2000 people are going to be made redundant, which seems to be the general feeling here. 2000 people who probably have family to support and mortgages to pay.
- Julian, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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I'll get you butler!!!!grrrrr
- Dc, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Insensitive comments about a service which actually keeps London going. Needless to say there are a lot of other 'services' in London which aren't needed at all. But there you are...
If there were no buses, underground trains, trams, etc, what would happen? I think London would grind to a halt with 8 million people on the roads...! Yes, it's a vital service we need and for the service to be heading south can only be a bad thing. It's particularly sad that most people reading this seem to be too stupid to realise this. Celebrating redundancies of jobs in this vital industry is pathetic. Maybe you won't be so smug when you're stuck in a tunnel for half an hour some day as a result. Either way, you'll have plenty time to think it over.
- Ben, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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I know from personal experience that TfL wastes plenty of money on support staff. The example i witnessed was a department of 5 people, each on more £30K a year, playing on the internet all day because they had no work!
- A, london, 09/12/2009 21:34
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Only 2000! To make the organisation much leaner and hopefully bring cost of travel down to us poor commuters
they need to get rid off at least 20000 jobs. Marketing and communication, who needs them. I don't have to be to told to use their services, I have no choice but to use buses and trains to get to work.
- Ahmed, London, 09/12/2009 21:34
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