No cuts to Tube jobs and pensions

10,000 tube workers are taking strike action today, (Tuesday) after London Underground bosses refused to rule out job cuts and detrimental changes to pensions. RMT said that pickets are out in force at all key locations and that the action ‎is being solidly supported the length and breadth of the tube network.

Under the plans at the heart of the dispute, LU will cut 600 frontline jobs for starters and wants to scrap the final salary pension scheme in a bid to drive down costs.

The Rail and Martime Transport union (RMT) has called for Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan to keep promises he made to LU workers.

He told Labour Party members last year: "Telling those people responsible for heroically keeping London moving throughout the pandemic that now is the time they need to pay more into their pension funds strikes me as neither fair nor reasonable. it is not their fault the pandemic struck and they have acted heroically."

The union also pointed out that in May last year, the Mayor also said that it would be "ill judged" to rush through pension changes, warning that it could lead to an industrial dispute.

Yet last week the government announced the Mayor had agreed by 31st March, he would submit proposals to the government to cut tube workers’ pensions.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said:

“Sadiq Khan should be standing up to Tory ministers who want to needlessly attack jobs, pensions and conditions of key transport workers. It is this political failure that has left tube workers with no choice but to strike this week. Our members have been left paying the price for a turf war between City Hall and the Government and they are not having it as can be seen right across London today.

“The Mayor knows the plan to attack our members’ pensions and conditions is wrong and would leave our union no choice but to take industrial action.

"However, only last week the Mayor agreed to submit proposals to the government that will result in detrimental changes to pensions.

"The Mayor has to decide if he is on the side of key workers who have kept London moving during the pandemic or Tory ministers hellbent on punishing tube workers.

"This dispute can be solved if the Mayor meets the reasonable demands of his own workforce."