RMT and TSSA step up industrial action in fight over safe tube staffing levels – staff will not participate in £5 Oyster top-up from Sunday 3rd October

TUBE UNION’S RMT AND TSSA confirmed today that the next phase of industrial action on the tube network in the fight to defend safe staffing levels is on and that the scale of the action will be ramped up with union members refusing to participate in the £5 minimum Oyster top-up from Sunday 3rd October.

The overtime ban, which is already having a significant impact and causing station closures, remains in force and the staggered 24 hour strikes starting on 3rd October, 2nd November and 28th November are on.

The revised schedule of joint RMT/TSSA action is:

All members in the former Metronet maintenance grades are instructed to take strike action and not to work from 19.00 hours on Sunday 3rd October until 18.59 hours on Monday 4th October.

Nor from 19.00 hours on Tuesday 2nd November until 18.59 hours on Wednesday 3rd November

Nor from 19.00 hours on Sunday 28th November until 18.59 hours on Monday 29th November.

All other LUL members are instructed not to book on for any shifts commencing between 18.29 hours on Sunday 3rd October until 18.28 hours on Monday 4th October

Nor from 21.00 hours on Tuesday 2nd November until 20.59 hours on Wednesday 3rd November

Nor from 18.29 hours on Sunday 28th November until 18.28 hours on Monday 29th November.

The ban on overtime remains in place until further notice.

From 00.01 hours on Sunday 3 October until further notice, all members are further instructed not to participate in the £5 minimum Oyster top up; nor to carry out higher grade working in a station control room, nor in the role of Station Supervisor, nor to substitute for the Station Supervisor when the Supervisor is not available.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“We have made every effort to resolve this dispute over safe staffing levels through negotiations and continue to pursue a settlement that will protect the safety of both staff and passengers and the quality of service to Tube users at all times and at all locations. Following talks at ACAS yesterday it is now up to London Underground management to come back to us with a positive response.

“Our members have shown their determination to defend the ticket offices, safety-critical station jobs and the whole future of a safe and secure tube network and we have announced the additional action today to push that campaign forwards.

“The Mayor and his transport officials cannot simply wash their hands of this dispute. Boris Johnson has said that he will stand up and fight for London against the ConDem government cuts – that’s exactly what RMT and TSSA members are doing on the tube right in the Mayor’s own back yard. Rather than attacking us the Mayor, as Chair of TfL, should instruct his officials to put safety first and withdraw the cuts that they are bulldozing through without agreement and with complete disregard for the consequences.”