Metronet Back In LUL

Metronet is to return fully into London Underground, with all Metronet employees becoming LUL employees - read RMT's press release here. This completes the process of reversing the PPP for two-thirds of the Underground, and is a victory for those of us who have spent the last ten years campaigning hard against this disastrous policy.

Partly this has happened because of Metronet bosses' own failure to do their job properly - meaning their inability to manage the money rather than their inability to do the work, which has proved no obstacle to the continuation of their opposite numbers at TubeLines. But mainly, it has been the determined efforts of the workforce that has forced the job back into the public sector. The unions - primarily RMT - have fought against all attempts to drive down pay and cut corners with service standards and safety, making it hard for Metronet bosses to maximise profits at our and the passengers' expense. It is not too often that workers successful force the reversal of a privatisation, so we reckon there is cause for celebration.

Returning to LUL raises various issues. What about all-grades LUL policies such as the Machinery of Negotiation or the Attendance policy? We will have to look at these so that neither LUL or ex-Metronet staff lose out. It should be an opportunity for the unions to demand a harmonisation of the policies that delivers a levelling-up of rights for workers. And one more thing - now we are under the same employer once more, there is no legal obstacle to us striking together when the need arises.