VOTE YES TO DEFEND TUBE JOBS AND SAFETY

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: july/august 2010 :: RMTnews 4 RMT is balloting staff across London Underground for strike action and action short of a strike against 800 station staff job cuts and the closure of over 240 ticket offices or major cuts to opening hours. The ballot comes as London Mayor Boris Johnson was forced to confirm that nine out of ten Tube stations face severe restrictions or total closure of ticket offices in direct contradiction of electoral promises he gave Londoners. A deliberate policy of not filling vacancies is already compromising safety with the latest scandal exposed by RMT on the Metropolitan Line where an incident report confirms that stations are being left unstaffed contrary to safety protocols. In addition, the latest cuts imposed on Transport for London by the government as part of the ConDem austerity agenda have yet to bite and the union has warned that many more Tube staff jobs could be axed with the London Tory group demanding that all 3,500 drivers and operators be fired and the Tube moved over to driverless operation. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the union would fight the jobs assault on the tube, and the undermining of staff and public safety. “Not only has London Underground failed to give us the assurances that safe staffing levels would be protected but behind the scenes even bigger attacks on our members, and the services that they provide to the travelling public, are being cooked up. “London Underground appears to be willing to rip up the safety rule book when it comes to staffing levels. “We already have repeated examples of stations being left unstaffed on a regular basis with the latest incidents on the Metropolitan Line. “This disregard for safe working practices will have dire consequences in the event of a major incident and RMT will not sit back and wait for a tragedy to hit the network before we act,” he said. After months of accusing the union of scaremongering over maintenance cuts, Tube bosses have also admitted that services are running on dangerous and rotten infrastructure as the government lines up further attacks on the budget and the tube upgrade programme. In an unprecedented move, TfL warned of the dangers of allowing trains to continue to run on signaling and equipment dating back to the 1920s – the first time that TfL has backed RMT’s safety concerns over the tube cuts programme. LU bosses warned that there is much worse to come after revealing massive backlogs in maintenance and upgrade works and a severe shortage of staff in all areas. TORY COWARDS Tory GLA members staged a walkout in the London Assembly to prevent a vote on a motion (see below) calling on Boris Johnson to review plans to axe jobs and to close or slash the opening times of ticket offices. The motion, in the names of Labour’s Val Shawcross and the Lib Dems’ Caroline Pidgeon, called on Johnson to “reaffirm reasonable and safe staffing levels right across the London Underground”. Green Party GLA members were also due to back the motion as London politicians recognise the damage to safety and quality of passenger service that would be unleashed by the cuts. RMT welcomes the cross- party support for the campaign to stop the cuts which will turn the Tube into a mugger’s paradise as well as having a corrosive effect on the quality of passenger service. VOTE YES TO DEFEND TUBE JOBS AND SAFETY All London Underground members balloted for action as Tory GLA members walk out to block vote backing the RMT campaign against job cuts R MT members working at Harwich International Port have won an improved pay offer after threatening discontinuous industrial action in a dispute over pay and conditions of service. Over 100 dockers, known as port operatives, and support staff suspended planned 24-hour action last month followed by a 24- hour overtime ban on services to the Hook of Holland and Denmark as well as cruise services in and out of Harwich International. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that members at Harwich had been hit by a pay freeze last year and had been made a totally unacceptable offer this year. “They were simply not prepared to sit back and watch while their standards of living are eroded and had voted overwhelmingly for action. “RMT members at Harwich sent out a clear signal to the company that they expect fair treatment on pay and conditions and that they are prepared to fight to get it. “RMT is pleased that the company recognised the strength of feeling, and the determination of our members, and came back with an offer that addresses the issues at the core of this dispute,” Bob said. RMT will be holding a referendum on the offer with a recommendation to accept. HARWICH DOCKERS WIN IMPROVED OFFER OVER PAY