Tube union RMT has slammed plans to transfer some Tube Lines clerical and project staff back in-house to London Underground without pension or travel facilities and has threatened industrial action to defend the terms and conditions of its members.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that while proposals to re-integrate some staff into LUL may sound positive after the long-running PPP Tube privatisation fiasco, the 700 or so staff involved would not be allowed to join the TfL pension fund.

“Combined with the refusal to match travel facilities with existing staff this erosion of conditions would create a two-tier workforce and undermine the entire pension fund.

“This is a direct attack on the TfL pension fund as it cuts off new funding and will allow management to further attack existing terms and conditions.

“RMT has grave concerns about this and any further staffing reductions and these attacks will be resisted using industrial action if necessary,” he said.