TfL Olympics Strike Action
RMT members working directly for Transport for London will be taking strike action from 0659 Friday 3rd August until 0700 Saturday 4th August over the total and abject failure of the organisation to offer any kind of recognition and reward for the increase in workload and pressure arising from the extended Olympics period and for attempting to impose changes to working conditions and a unilateral ban on annual leave in some departments.
TfL at this late stage have now offered the possibility of limited annual leave in some areas but RMT say this is too little too late as staff have already been forced to make other arrangements due to managements previous contempt shown for the staff in being unwilling to discuss the matter and their refusal to go to ACAS. If anything this has angered the staff even more.
In addition to this instead of adequately rewarding their loyal staff for their effort during this period, senior management at TfL have diverted their Olympic delivery funding to privately run call centres in Scotland (Journey Call) and Northampton (Novacroft). This is hundreds of thousands of pounds that could have been used to reward the staff in dispute. This is at the same time that the top seven staff at TfL are in line for a share of £560,000 if the system runs smoothly during the Games. This smooth running will be achieved on the backs of the hard working RMT members and others who are being treated in this contemptible manner.
The RMT has been available for talks at any time but approaches have been ignored and members have been forced into taking action at Travel Information Centres, Oystercard, Lost Property and Customer services.
There will be a picket at Victoria Station Travel Information Centre at 0645hrs and a demonstration at Windsor House, Victoria Street SW1 at 0830hrs on Friday 3rd August. All supporters are welcome.
Paul Rutland
Chair RMT TfL No.1 Branch
Read more about the TfL Olympic strike here.
