Rock Solid Tube Lines Strike Causes Considerable Delay And Train Cancellations

We note the report from our lead officer and applaud our Tube Lines members for their solid, strong and effective strike action from 24-27 April. We also applaud those members on London Underground who refused to work duties that they saw as unsafe during the strike.

Our members’ actions caused over 50 trains to be cancelled, delays and disruption to other services due to the lack of Emergency Response Unit (ERU), Signal and Track response to operational incidents and failures. We understand that during the alarming incident with the Bakerloo line tunnel on Friday 27 April, the cobbled-together ERU had only two trained personnel on site.

The blame for these service disruptions and safety breaches lies squarely with Tube Lines management’s intransigence in refusing to accept our legitimate and reasonable claim for pensions and travel equality. We note that securing entry to the TfL Pension Fund for all staff not only benefits those staff currently excluded from it, but benefits all staff by helping to safeguard the future of the Pension Fund.

We instruct the General Secretary to obtain a detailed report on the impact of the strike action and safety breaches caused by management’s strike-breaking operation.

In accordance with the views of a meeting of our Tube Lines representatives on Friday 27 April, we instruct the General Secretary to:

• Facilitate a series of workplace visits by officers and Company Council representatives
• Instruct members not to work overtime from 00:01 on Wednesday 9 May until 00:01 on Wednesday 23 May
• Send a personal letter by post to all Tube Lines members outlining the contents of this decision
• Place this matter back in front of us on or before Wednesday 16 May in order to consider further industrial action to follow this overtime ban
• Obtain and place in front of us a report on London Underground’s response to our members’ expressed health and safety concerns, and vigorously defend any member who faces a detriment due to their having raised these concerns

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.