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Tube faces stoppages as staff vote over strike for jobs
Dick Murray, Transport Editor23.03.09
UP to 10,000 Tube and Transport for London staff are to be balloted over strike action in a dispute over job losses and pay.
The Tube lines could be brought to a halt next month by a series of 24-hour stoppages.
RMT union bosses signalled their determination to confront Mayor Boris Johnson, who has ordered 1,000 jobs to be axed at London Underground.
The strike ballot is the biggest ever among London transport workers. The two ballots begin tomorrow with the result to be announced in three weeks. The union is confident the strike call will get overwhelming support.
Transport for London admits it will cut hundreds of jobs from its staff of 28,000, although senior sources have told the Standard the real figure is nearer 2,000.
The Tube's parent company says it will try to shed jobs through natural wastage and not filling vacancies but has not ruled out compulsory redundancies.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said Tube bosses were tearing up an agreement to safeguard jobs.
LU says jobs must go as part of a programme to save £2.4billion.
Mr Crow said: "LU seems to think that observing agreements is optional and its plan to cut jobs is simply unacceptable.
"Its managers appear to have been given the nod to unleash a fresh round of bullying."
Reader views (6)
Although many of the comments here are valid and make sense, i still do not understand why The RMT Members voted 10 - 1 for strike action last time, Whwn workers go on strike they lose a lot of money and they as individuals have to face the wrath of the public when they return to work, so something is telling me we are not getting the whole picture here, perhaps we should dig a bit deeper before condemnation of nearly %90 of underground workers.
Maybe the underground could make some real savings on there huge management structure where middle management bosses are paid excessive salaries for causing unnecesary strife, i dont know, just a thought.
- Brian, Wiltshire
To be honest most drivers I know are actually in disagreement with the union over this one, it's far too early in the pay negotiations to even think about striking for that and most of us would be happy with slightly improved conditions rather than a huge pay rise anyway. I've not heard whether ASLEF (drivers' union) and TSSA (station staff union) are calling for strikes as well as the RMT. Bob Crow seems once again to be miles out of touch... I think we'd be better off without him.
- Driver, London
Bob Crow - yet again living in another world. Get technology involved - driverless trains like DLR, sack drivers get ticket inspectors on trains instead, and slim the management down. So no strikes and fare freezes. Victoria line was designed to be driverless over 30 years ago.
- Tim, London
This is a really good time to ask for a payrise!! No-one else is getting payrises. Whilst in an ideal world they would all get to keep their jobs in the current climate all sectors are affected with job loses and the Tube staff are no different. The only thing that will happen if a strike goes ahead is that everyone who uses the tube to get to work may be at greater risk of losing their jobs because they can't get to work on time and if a company is seeking to make workers redundant ability to get to work on time may play a part in who goes and who stays.
- Anon, London
More strikes probable on the Tube network! People are loosing their jobs left, right and centre due to one of the worst economic downturns in recent history and Mr Crow thinks his members should be immune from such things. What world is he living in? And all it will mean is more pain for the travelling public - again!!
- John David, London
So whatever happened to Boris's manifesto commitment to reach a "No-Strike" agreement with the unions?
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall
