Friday, March 28, 2008

London Underground Strike - Dates announced today

Today we find out when the next London Underground Strike will be. Yesterday RMT union members voted by a margin of five to one for strike action in defence of safety on the Tube.

Tube Strike in the londonpaper

Strike dates will be announced today at a press conference to be held at RMT head office from 11.30am.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "This vote reveals the strength of feeling among our members that the safety and security of the network, for staff and passengers alike, will not be compromised under any conditions."

Yesterday's ballot results open the way for joint action with fellow Tube union TSSA, whose own members voted for strike action earlier this month.

The RMT press release says: "The unions are opposing management attacks on safety standards and the casualisation of safety-critical work."

UPDATE - Thanks to Fimb who commented the dates have been announced. From 6.30pm on Sunday, April 6th 2008 until 6.30pm on Wednesday, April 9th 2008. There's still, I suppose, some hope that the unions & London Underground will come to an agreement before the actual dates come around.

Naturally London Underground has responded calling the strike action "unnecessary". Howard Collins, Deputy COO said: "These issues have nothing whatsoever to do with safety, and not a single job is at risk.

"All of the issues raised by the RMT are already being addressed through the normal negotiating process. Significant progress has already been made and most of the issues have been agreed. The RMT's announcement does not mention the progress that has already been made. There is simply no reason for a strike, or even the threat of one, as all of the issues being raised can be resolved.

"A strike by the RMT would lose staff pay and inconvenience the travelling public to no purpose whatsoever. It is entirely unnecessary and we should get on with sorting out these issues through the normal negotiating process."

UPDATE - The Tube Strike has now been called off.

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