Tube strike on 12 March

The Executive's decision on action is as follows: "RMT members employed on track and signal maintenance by Metronet on the will stage a 24 hour strike from 6.00am on Friday 12 March."

I can't help thinking that this action is too short to be effective. Industrially, I should think that only urgent repairs will be affected, rather than routine maintenance checks. Also, the signal it gives to the employer is that the union is staging a protest, rather than waging a battle to win.

It seems like a waste of the enthusiasm for a fight that has been apparent at members' meetings.

I also wonder why only track and signal maintenance members have been balloted / called out on strike. If other Metronet employees - eg. lifts and escalator engineers, train maintainers, administration etc - had been involved in the strike, it would have more impact.

That said, it must now be all hands on deck to get the most solid strike action possible on March 12. Union reps and activists should talk to every member, recruit non-members, and organise effective picketing. Underground workers in other grades and companies should think hard about how we can uphold safety standards during the strike, and not let management cut corners to keep stations open and trains running.

It would be a good idea if the strikers then met together and formed a strike commitee so that they can set the agenda for further, escalated action, rather than leaving the decisions in the hands of the Executive.

RMT calls for mediation to settle Farringdon dispute

publication date: 10 March 2004

RAIL UNION RMT has again called on Metronet to accept mediation to settle the dispute over five Tube maintenance workers unfairly sacked despite the absence of any evidence to link them to beer cans allegedly found in a mess cabin at Farringdon station.

Maintenance and signalling staff are scheduled to strike on Friday (March 12) in support of their sacked colleagues.

"Metronet yesterday told us that they will accept the decision of an employment tribunal and that is a welcome step in the right direction," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"But if Metronet are prepared to put the case in the independent hands of an employment tribunal, why not accept independent mediation that can settle the dispute in days rather than in weeks or months?"

"The President of the Employment Tribunals believes that the dispute is presently 'more a matter for the parties themselves and Acas rather than the Employment Tribunals'

"The union has already made it quite clear that the union would call off Friday's strike if the company accepted mediation.

"The sacked workers have been unpaid since before Christmas and they and their families are experiencing hardship as a result of this injustice. We owe it to them to see this matter resolved sooner rather than later.

"The RMT executive will of course consider Metronet's proposal once we have received it in writing, but the company could end the threat of strike action immediately by coming with us to independent mediation, through Acas or otherwise," Bob Crow said.

ends

Notes to editors: The five were fired by a disciplinary board last December 2 despite the company's failure to link any of them with allegations of illicit drinking on London Underground property.

Drug and alcohol tests on the dismissed men have all proved negative, although one was not tested at all. They were randomly selected for sacking, although the cabin where evidence of drinking was allegedly found is freely accessed by at least 60 people, including contractors, who were neither investigated nor tested.

This is a press release from RMT, announcing that tomorrow's strike has been called off.

My thoughts ... An Employment Tribunal may not happen for months ... in the meantime, the sacked workers remain sacked ... The employer had already made this promise to abide by the decision of an ET, and the union had said that this was not good enough, and Metronet should agree to go to immediate mediation (see press release above) ... Now, the union appears to have backed down from that position.

So all in all, a bad decision. And no indication that the members themselves had asked for the strike to be suspended. Could this be another case of the Executive thinking it knows better than the workers on the front line?

Tube strike action over Farringdon dispute suspended - 3/11/2004

RAIL UNION RMT has today suspended strike action by Metronet maintenance and signal workers, scheduled for tomorrow (March 12).

RMT members had voted by five to one for action in support of five colleagues sacked despite the lack of evidence linking them to beer cans allegedly found in a mess room at Farringdon station.

"After considering the undertaking by Metronet to abide by the outcome of an Employment Tribunal, the RMT executive has today suspended the strike action scheduled for tomorrow," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"We understand that the president of the Tribunals has undertaken to do everything within his power to hasten the hearing.

"We are confident that our members will win their case, for not a shred of evidence has been produced to link any of them to alleged drinking on LUL premises.

"We will also be seeking an urgent review of Metronet's disciplinary procedures, which all too clearly leave much to be desired," Bob Crow said.

ends

Notes to editors:The five were fired by a disciplinary board last December 2 despite the company's failure to link any of them with allegations of illicit drinking on London Underground property.

Drug and alcohol tests on the dismissed men have all proved negative, although one was not tested at all. They were randomly selected for sacking, although the cabin where evidence of drinking was allegedly found is freely accessed by at least 60 people, including contractors, who were neither investigated nor tested.