Tube Strike Threat as PPP ends

It didn't take long for the RMT to start talking about London Underground strikes as Public Private Partnership (PPP) was brought to an end on Friday. Transport for London, bought out the shareholders of contractor Tube Lines for 310 million pounds, ending the much maligned public-private partnership.


You would think that Bob Crow would be happy that the Tube was now (or at least from June) back in state control. But no! He fears that a number of maintenance jobs could be at risk and said:

"We still want concrete assurances on jobs and conditions and we are preparing to ballot our members for industrial action."

So on the one hand it's a "a welcome development and would kill off the privatisation disaster on the tube once and for all." according to his comments on Friday. Yet on the other a perfect excuse to go on strike.

In a press statement just released he said "We have made it clear again today that unless we get assurances that staff will not be expected to pay the price for the collapse of Tube Lines and the last knockings of the failed tube privatisation experiment we will push on with plans for action and our ballot of members will go ahead."

Shouldn't there at least be a chance for the ink to dry on Friday's announcement, before Crow rushes in all gun ho with a ballot for a strike?