WHILE Aslef drivers are striking today against Southern rail’s attempt to impose driver only operation, the RMT union yesterday announced further strike action on the Tube.
Following Sunday and Monday’s rock-solid strike by London Underground station staff, the RMT yesterday said escalated strike action will take place from Monday 6th February. The ongoing overtime ban, which has seriously exposed the massive deficiencies in station staffing numbers and which has led to a spate of station closures, also remains in place, said the union.
Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said: ‘RMT members have shown this week that they will not stand by while safety is compromised on London Underground off the back of cash-led cuts to staffing levels that the union has warned would have a serious, lasting and corrosive impact for staff and passengers alike. That’s why our members have been forced to take this action.
‘RMT members on the London Underground stations see day-in and day-out the toxic impact of the job cuts programme and they are reporting back that it is horrific. It has now also been shown that at management level there is agreement with the union that the cuts have been a disastrous mistake and that the staff need to be put back on the stations. We now need a move away from the piecemeal and incremental approach to tackling this crisis and for LU to come forward with a serious package of proposals.
‘With the constant overcrowding on stations and platforms it is only a matter of time before there is a major tragedy if we don’t act decisively. Our dispute is about taking action to haul back the cuts machine and put safety back at the top of the agenda. Today’s decision gives ample time for London Underground to come forward with the serious package of proposals that is now required to kick-start the negotiations. The union remains available for talks.’
Meanwhile, Southern rail bosses announced yesterday that they intend to take ASLEF to the Supreme Court to seek to have its strike action ruled illegal. It said in a statement, ‘GTR is determined to protect its passengers and its business from unlawful industrial action. GTR is therefore prepared to continue its legal claim to the Supreme Court, as it believes that it has an arguable case that the industrial action is unlawful under EU law.’
Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, said: ‘What a waste of time and money! The High Court, and the Appeal Court, have already ruled that our industrial action on Southern railways is entirely lawful. Instead of dragging this out, and wasting everybody’s time and money, the company should be sitting down with us and trying to resolve the issue.
‘The company should do the right thing and negotiate with us – properly, sensibly and in good faith – to do a deal for the benefit of passengers, staff and, yes, the company – like ScotRail did with us earlier this year.’