Tube strike called off as Metronet agree to abide by tribunal
Rail union RMT suspended strike action by Metronet maintenance and signal workers, scheduled for 12 March.
RMT members had voted 5:1 for action in support of 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 told the press.
"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.
The suspended RMT members were fired by a disciplinary board on 2 December 2003 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 had 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.
There's no reason to conclude from the strike being called off that RMT members were reluctant to strike. On the contrary, people seemed up for a battle.
By a Tube worker
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
A belated update
The Tribunal ruled in favour of the employer. The men remained sacked.
The union lost - in my view, because it showed too much faith in the courts and not enough in its own members.