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Tube workers back pre-Christmas action over pay
24 Nov 2009Commuters on the London Undergound face pre-Christmas disruption after engineering and electrical workers voted for industrial action in a row over pay.
Workers were balloted in response to LU's "final" two-year pay offer - worth 1.5% this year and RPI inflation plus 0.5% in 2010/11.
Unite, which represents 500 Tube staff, will decide today what form the action will take.
John Morgan-Evans, regional officer of Unite, said: "London Underground have chosen, through their failure to negotiate, to put the travelling public's journey to work at risk of disruption.
"This vote shows that our members' admiral patience has run out. They have decided they do not want to take strike action but want to make their point with other forms of action."
The union warned that if the row was not resolved industrial action could be taken before Christmas.
Steve Hart, the union's regional secretary, added: "London's public transport is facing a serious threat as industrial relations deteriorate on buses and now the Underground."
The Rail Maritime and Transport Union is planning to ballot its Tube members for industrial action over the same pay dispute.
LU today called on the Unite leadership to get back to discussions.
LU managing director Richard Parry said: "This low turnout and the vote against strike action shows Unite members do not want to strike.
"The Unite leadership has failed in its bid to get a mandate for strike action, and I urge them to return to meaningful discussion now."
He went on: "There is absolutely nothing to be gained from taking more strike action in the current tough economic climate, at a time when many Londoners have seen their pay frozen or have lost their jobs this year.
"Our pay deal offers stability and security, and we urge all of our unions to recommend this fair and final offer to their members and urge all Tube staff to accept it."
Reader views (5)
@ Nick Holland
I find your comment astounding!
I strongly disagree with your reference to railway jobs being 'unskilled' the term 'low skilled' would be accurate for some positions.
Considering you probably haven't worked on the railway before Nick, you aren't in any position to ridicule railway staff and their jobs!
- Student, London, 24/11/2009 17:14
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@ Nick Holland
We're uneducated....what proof do you have of that? None....thought so!
Our Bankers are supposed to be "educated people" and look what they've done for the country!
- Rail Worker, London, 24/11/2009 17:02
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If you think these 'oiks' are behaving badly now wait until 2012 when the Olympics are on. When you employ uneducated British people in unskilled but fairly important useful/jobs they have never shown any sense of communal reponsibility and this is what you inevitably end up with. A third world capital city that exposes itself to the world as an uncontrolled 'cesspit of corruption/greed' that no one with any sense will ever invest in. London is on the way down !!!
- Nick Holland, glasgow, 24/11/2009 14:33
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And this when we are trying to get more people to use public transport? Whenever there is a public holiday it seems more than convenient for the workers to go on strike. Meanwhile, if we do not have cars and need to get to mainline rail stations, then our holiday plans are scuppered. I have to leave buying train tickets to the last minute in case I cant get to Paddington. I think I will give up and buy a car.
- Jane, London, UK, 24/11/2009 13:04
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why don't they offer full transparency of what these "unacceptable" packages actually are?
lets see what:
- salary
- holidays
- working week
actually is? then let the public decide how warranted this all is.
- Scotty, London, 24/11/2009 10:15
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