Tube Strikes Planned to Begin This Weekend Called Off
But union announces plan to walk out seven times in coming months
A strike involving tube station staff who are members of the RMT union due to begin this weekend has been cancelled. They were threatening to strike in protest at the Fit for Future Stations programme across the London Underground network which involves the closure of many ticket offices.
Tube services are expected to operate as normal.
Weekend engineering works on the Tube, TfL Rail and London Overground will go ahead as planned.
Mick Cash said in a letter to members, "LUL has been informed accordingly that the dispute is now resolved and that all associated industrial action has been cancelled. It is clear that during the last two years, the Union has been able to gain major concessions from LUL and all RMT members must be congratulated for enabling us to reach this position."
Steve Griffiths, London Underground’s Chief Operating Officer, said,“I welcome the RMT’s decision to call off the strike action and end this dispute. Our station modernisation programme now continues, with our changes meaning a more personal service for customers, and record numbers of staff in public areas visible and available to help customers where they need it most.
“As we’ve always promised, we’re delivering these improvements with no compulsory redundancies, no-one being asked to work more hours or lose any pay, as well as continued focus on work-life balance within rosters. In addition, around 900 staff are either being promoted or securing permanent roles with London Underground, having previously been employed on fixed term contracts.”
There has been mixed news elsewhere on industrial relations on the tube. The long running dispute over the introduction of the night tube looks closer to resolution with the main unions now recommending that the current deals is accepted.
However, Tube maintenance staff are to stage a series of 12 and 24-hour strikes in a dispute over safety. They will walk out next Friday (12 February) at 6.30am for 24 hours, followed by six more strikes running up to June.
RMT maintenance staff have been instructed not to book on for shifts on the following dates
- 0630 Friday 12th February 2016 and 0629 on Saturday 13th February 2016
- 0630 and 1829 on Sunday 6th March 2016
- 0630 Friday 25th March 2016 and 0629 Saturday 26th March 2016
- 0630 Sunday 27th March 2016 and 0629 Monday 28th March 2016
- 0630 and 1829 on Sunday 24th April 2016
- 0630 and 1829 on Sunday 15th May 2016
- 0630 and 1829 on Sunday 12th June 2016
Members have also been instructed to take action short of a strike by doing: no work of any kind in a section 15 possession, and by taking meal breaks as per agreements. Section 15 possessions are the new arrangements for track access which have replaced tested Track Access Controllers.
RMT is also currently preparing a ballot of service control staff who they claim are also affected by the changes to track access.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said:, "Nobody should dare to underestimate the severe impact on track safety that the changes bulldozed through by London Underground have unleashed and which have forced our members to take a prolonged period of industrial action to protect both themselves and their colleagues.”
February 5, 2016
Related links
|
