RAIL, MARITIME and Transport Workers’ Union (RMT) members on London
Underground are to be balloted for strike action over pay. Action could take
place on 10 June, the day of the Greater London Assembly elections when Ken
Livingstone will be seeking re-election as London’s mayor.
Bill Johnson, RMT member
Livingstone has said he wants a long-term pay deal on London Underground to
ensure there are no more strikes. In response, RMT has told Livingstone he
must honour the previous agreements to work towards a 35-hour week for all
staff. At the moment station staff are still working a 37.5-hour week while
other grades work 35 hours.
RMT has also raised the idea of a four-day working week. This could still
amount to 35 hours with four longer duties rather than five. But the
additional rest day would be welcomed by workers who have to put up with a
difficult and constantly changing shift pattern.
The union’s other major demand is for a £22,000 starting salary for Station
Assistants. These members currently earn just under £20,000 and many find it
impossible to find housing in London. A significant cash increase is also
sought for other grades.
Management
Management have sought to delay negotiations and put off any dispute until
after Livingstone’s election on 10 June. A pay rise was due on 1 April and
under pressure from RMT, London Underground have now indicated they may be
prepared to offer 3% in return for over 800 job cuts.
This derisory ‘offer’ is in line with similarly ludicrous proposals from
the private companies (infracos) that are now responsible for engineering on
the tube.
The ballot will cover all RMT members working directly for London
Underground, while members working for the ‘infracos’ are to be balloted for
action short of a strike.
The issue of the shorter working week together with similar issues over
staff travel facilities and pensions are still outstanding from previous pay
deals and tube workers cannot wait any longer.
Productivity
Productivity on London Underground has risen over the last decade with
passenger miles and revenue per worker up sharply.
The Socialist Party, through its bulletin The Red Line, is urging that
management must not be allowed to delay the ballot or put off action on the
tube unless they give cast-iron guarantees to meet RMT’s demands. Many members
in the infracos will be disappointed that their ballot will be for action
short of a strike.
This may reflect the belief of some in the union that maintenance and
engineering workers will cause more problems by adopting a prolonged overtime
ban or other work to rule, than would be the result of one day on strike.
However, unity between all RMT members is essential in this dispute and it
would be better to have everyone out together, on picket lines and showing our
collective will to win.
A strike across all grades could still be supplemented by working to rule.
But despite this reservation, strike action by London Underground grades
will still paralyse the tube.
If Ken Livingstone wants industrial peace on the tube as a re-election
slogan he is going to have do much better than this.
