The Socialist 25 January 2007

Striking to defend public services

Trade unions must give a lead

Iraq: build for 24 February protest

'No to the US base'

Labour's super-rich friend

Behind the bonus bonanza

Save our school buses

Support the paper that fights for a socialist future

Big Brother viewers reject racist bullying

New Labour hypocrites wade into Big Brother row

Endemol defends racist abuse

Strike ballots show willingness to fight

British Airways in more battles with workforce

London Underground workers ballot for strike over pay

NHS still needs national demo

New Labour leads the big-business assault

A socialist programme for the NHS

When will the bubbles burst?

Join the national day of protest on 22 February

Building for the 22 February Day of Action

Sri Lanka: anti-war organiser attacked

Workers brave regime's bullets

Previous issues, etc

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London Underground workers ballot for strike over pay

RMT MEMBERS working in all grades across London Underground (LUL) are to vote on strike action. The 6,500 workers are voting over the failure of management to pay a 4% rise that should have been settled and paid on 1 April 2006.

An RMT member

We urge all members to vote in the ballot and give a resounding 'yes' vote. LUL management have dragged their feet in paying the 4% and have done all in their power to try to provoke the RMT into strike action.

They have tried to tie us into a multi-year deal, which will mean a below-inflation pay settlement.

Official figures released in the last few days suggest that inflation is currently at 3%, and nearer 5% in the London region.

Management are also trying to tie RMT members into performance-based bonus payments which members are opposed to. Performance is hindered by the fact that staff are working on a network which is suffering from the effects of privatisation and under-investment.

Management is also coming for staff with a draconian disciplinary and attendance policy and an attack on pension rights. The undercurrent from London Mayor Ken Livingstone and management is that they want to 'deal with the RMT'.

If management succeeds in defeating the RMT, they will come for ASLEF and the other unions next.

We need a solid and united strike. We also need to leaflet passengers, pointing out our policy calling for renationalisation of the Underground, no sell-off of the East London line, for investment in the ageing Underground network, for ticket costs to be drastically reduced, for ticket office closures to be halted and guarantees that there be no reduction in the number of staff across the network. And for a publicly owned London Underground run for the needs of the public not for profit.

In this issue

Striking to defend public services