PICCADILLY LINE DRIVERS BALLOTED

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2018 :: RMTnews 6 M embers working for tube train maintenance company Transplant have voted by over 90 per cent on a massive turnout for industrial action over pay parity and train preparation payments. Members have already taken part in industrial action including a overtime and rest day working ban but due to new draconian anti-union legislation in the 2016 Trade Union Act the strike mandate had to be renewed. Transplant, formerly a division of Tube Lines Limited who are now an internal supplier and owned by Transport for London, is currently demanding that staff carry out train preparation duties not in their contracts without any further payments. RMT general secretary Mick Cash congratulated members for turning out in such numbers to defeat unjust Tory anti-union laws and to continue the battle for workplace justice. “The union is ready to negotiate and we have a further mandate to take further industrial action, the ball is firmly in the company’s court,” he said. D rivers on the Jubilee Line suspended strike action this month following ACAS talks over the imposition of new timetables that ride roughshod over current rostering agreements. After an overwhelming vote for action driver members strikes were planned for this month but new proposals were tabled following 12 hours of talks. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was outrageous that tube managers had tried to bulldoze through timetable changes without agreement that ride roughshod over existing rostering agreements. “It is symptomatic of a management that is out of control and hell bent on imposing change through diktat rather than through the established negotiating machinery. “Drivers are angry at the impact on work-life balance and rightly see this move as the thin end of a very long wedge that could see processes and agreements unilaterally. “We can only hope that tube management will fully reverse the imposition of these changes and to start talking seriously with the unions rather than wading in with the big stick,” he said. L ondon Underground train operators on the Piccadilly line are being balloted for industrial action following the refusal of management to address long running concerns of ripping up agreements, bullying and lack of drivers. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that, due to new Tory anti-union laws imposing minimum thresholds in voting numbers, it was important that members took part in the ballot to overcome this draconian legislation. “We also need to send a clear message to LUL that members have had enough of the daily abuses taking place and the refusal to allow RMT reps to carry out their duties,” he said. Issues involved include insufficient driver numbers and unacceptable staffing levels on night tube, refusal to adhere to framework agreements, obstruction of reps to carry out trade union duties, and growing bullying and harassment by management. The ballot closes on June 21 and the union remains available for talks. PICCADILLY LINE DRIVERS BALLOTED JUBILEE LINE DRIVERS’ STRIKE SUSPENDED TRANSPLANT MEMBERS VOTE FOR STRIKE ACTION