Political representation

TRANSPORT UNION RMT today slammed the BBC’s Question Time for “outrageous political bias” after an invitation to General Secretary Bob Crow to appear on the programme this eveningwith London Mayor Boris Johnson was withdrawn at short notice.

Question Time editorial staff cobbled together the pathetic excuse that Bob Crow was pulled from the show “because he appeared on Any Questions?” last week - even though Johnson appeared on exactly that same show where Crow wiped the floor with him

* Friday 25 March, 8pm, BBC Radio 4 *

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow and London Mayor Boris Johnson will meet head to head for the first time this week when they both appear as guests on the BBC’s “Any Questions” which is being broadcast from Kingston Grammar School in Surrey.

In almost three years as London Mayor, Boris Johnson has refused to meet directly with the tube unions despite a massive financial crisis leading to staffing and maintenance cuts and repeated breakdowns on the Underground’s creaking infrastructure.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

This Saturday promises to be the biggest trade union march in a decade. The National TUC Demo, Saturday 26th March in London: make sure you’re there and be a part of the biggest trade union demonstration in years, when the TUC marches against the Government’s savage austerity cuts.

Click 'Read More' to get the latest information about the plans for the day

“I am appalled that London Underground are refusing to reinstate Arwyn Thomas and Eamonn Lynch, when the Employment Tribunal has already ruled that their dismissal was discriminatory because of their trade union activities. It is vital that we stand up for our local trade union reps who are in the frontline of protecting workers interests and I fully support the RMT’s political and industrial campaign for justice for Arwyn and Eamonn.”
Jeremy Corbyn MP, Islington North

THE TUBE’S biggest union, RMT, today welcomed condemnation of the London Mayor’s plans to cut 2,000 Underground jobs, put down in parliament by London MPs.

A motion tabled by John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) and Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North), calls on the mayor to drop proposals that have already been denounced by the Greater London Assembly and have raised “severe concerns” from London TravelWatch.

NEWS RELEASE from the Greater London Assembly

The London Assembly today called on the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) to rethink plans to cull up to 800 jobs on the Underground because of the adverse affects for passengers.

The Assembly believes the proposed cuts will damage customer service and leave passengers feeling less safe at stations where only one member of staff is present, particularly early in the morning and late at night.

Dear Mr Cameron

We are writing to ask you to intervene to ensure direct talks take place between the trade unions and the Mayor of London.

We are taking this unprecedented step because the Mayor is more interested in using the dispute to shore up his standing amongst the Tory faithful than addressing the genuine fears of passengers and tube staff.