RMT press release, issued today

RMT SHIFT workers responsible for fault-finding and maintaining the electrical supply to London's Tube will begin their second 36-hour strike tonight after employer EDF Energy Powerlink failed to budge on their claim for pay-parity with day workers.

Some 25 RMT 'shift testers', who work both night and day shifts, will not book on for turns that commence between 19:59 tonight, December 7, and 07:59 on Tuesday (December 9).

"Despite the ovewhelming vote for action and an absolutely rock-solid strike in November, EDF Energy Powerlink has so far refused to acknowledge that shift testers should have pay-parity with their non-shift colleagues," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"Day-work staff rightly received a £3,000 increase for delivering flexibility, and their shift-working colleagues are simply seeking recognition of the flexibility they too have delivered, not least in accepting sweeping shift changes that have disrupted their work-life balance.

"We have tried hard to reach agreement, but EDF Energy Powerlink's refusal to budge means it is once more prepared to risk massive disruption to Tube services.

"If the company keeps its head buried in the sand we can only conclude that it is more interested in shameless profiteering than in delivering pay justice to committed and highly skilled staff who do a crucial job in keeping London's Tube network moving," Bob Crow said.

ends

Note to editors: Shift testers are responsible for the highly skilled work of finding and fixing faults at London Underground's more than 250 power sub-stations and maintaining the power supply.

In ballots that closed on October 28, RMT members voted by 21 to two for strike action and by 22 to one for action short of strikes.

Their first 36-hour strike was held between November 16 and 18, and since November 16 they have made themselves unavailable for work after the end of any turns unless there is a direct and imminent danger to human life.