Strike ballot opens this week in RMT fight over Tube cuts as union moves onto a war footing

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that an industrial action ballot will open this week in the fight against cuts plans being smuggled in across London Underground under the cloak of the “Transformation Programme”.

The ballot will kick off on Wednesday.  Nearly 2000 staff will be involved covering engineering, signals, electrical, track and control centre staff and will include the Emergency Response unit. The ballot will close on the 16th July.

RMT has made it clear that they will have no hesitation in rolling out the ballot to other groups of staff if the widespread threat to jobs and safety is not withdrawn.

Speaking from the union's AGM in Manchester, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said

"Staff across London Underground are furious at the attempts to smuggle in a creeping programme of cuts and privatisation under the cloak of the Transformation Programme and we will begin balloting nearly 2000 staff at the sharp end of the plans this week.

“RMT on London Underground is now on a war footing and it’s about time the management, and the London Mayor, woke up and took notice. If we are forced by their inaction to escalate the dispute then that is exactly we will do.

"RMT will not stand back while jobs and safety are carved up and services like waste collection are knocked out to the cheapest bidder just to bail out savage cuts imposed on TFL by this rotten Tory Government.”

"This trade union will always look to co-ordinate action across the transport network if that is the best way of lifting the cuts threat to jobs, safety and pensions."