London Underground Job Cuts Dispute 2010-11

More support for our strikes

Although much of the tube network is still inaccessible for many disabled people for those of us able to use it we rely very much on staff being available to help us do so. If your staffing levels are reduced further then disabled people will find it more difficult to go out and will once again become isolated in their homes.
We would therefore like to send our support to all the strikers. You are fighting for us as well.
In Solidarity,
Linda Burnip
Disabled People Against Cuts

London Underground Rejects RMT Offer of Binding Arbitration on Ticket Office Opening Criteria

London Underground has refused RMT's offer of binding arbitration on the issue of how the company decides whether a ticket office should be open. Currently, LU has a ticket office open at times when it sells more than 15 tickets per hour. This is already higher than the rail industry standard, and the London TravelWatch recommended figure, of 12 ticekts per hour - LU plans to double the criterion to 30 tickets per hour. Astonishingly, LU seems to believe that a ticket office selling 29 tickets in an hour - as well as resolving ticket problems, giving information and helping customers in other ways - is not busy enough to warrant staying open.

LU Job Cuts Dispute - latest official circular

From Bob Crow, General Secretary

Firstly I would like to congratulate all London Underground members for the solid strike action that recently took place on 29th and 30th November. Management are under no illusion of the strength of feeling over these dangerous and unnecessary cuts.

Over the course of the last week, the General Grades Committee has met twice to discuss the current dispute with London Underground over their dangerous plans for job cuts and the following decision was taken: -

Strike Four!

RMT and TSSA have dealt another blow to London Underground’s plan to decimate staffing levels with a fourth one-day strike on 28/29 November. The action was as effective as previous walkouts, perhaps even more so, as RMT and TSSA members remained solid, and many ASLEF members respected our picket lines. Despite the bitter cold, reps and members picketed up to 100 workplaces.

'RMT London Calling' 30 November 2010: Strike Four!

Click '1 attachment'/ file name to download the new issue of our 'RMT London Calling' newsletter. It reports on the most recent strike, passes on messages of support, promotes our political/public campaign against job cuts, as well as offering support to student protests, reporting on issues on Docklands Light Railway, and encouraging young members to attend RMT's Young Members' Conference.

Passengers Writes to Boris Johnson ...

Dear sir,

As a regular user of the tube, I urge you to reconsider the cuts as I feel we have a sufficient passenger service (albeit not excellent!). I fear any cuts would only further detriment what is already an understaffed industry, in fact among other things, the reason the current staff just about get on with it is because the majority of them appear thoroughly polite, efficient and hard-working. in light of this we londoners support the strike action and hope that you hear our voices and reconsider.

Yours sincerely
Craig - Stratford E15

Dear Mr Mayor

More messages of support for our fight against job cuts

As a London resident I completely agree with you about the importance of having adequate staff on the London Underground. In my view, there are currently too few staff and to reduce the numbers further is dangerous, unhelpful and demonstrates a lack of insight and too much focus on the bottom line.
Best wishes,
Caitlin Morrow

I support the strike - as a woman who often travels alone on tubes I really value having hard working and helpful tube staff on hand to ask for assistance.
Keep on fighting the cuts!
Katy Arnold

Links to media coverage of Tube strike

  • Bob Crow confirms to Sky News plans for further strikes in New Year - here
  • US site Bloomberg reveals that the strike could cost London's economy £48m: here
  • The Guardian repeats the inaccurate statement that the strike is about "800 ticket office job cuts" - here (I have written a letter challenging this)
  • The Harrow Times appears peeved that TfL told them there would be a Metropolitan Line service then could not deliver one - here
  • The Press Association reports that TfL stands accused of lying - here
  • Evening Standard: Ed Miliband accused of dithering over dispute - here

Message from Bob Crow to Tube strikers

LUL safety and jobs – congratulations on another solid strike

Dear Colleague,

I would like to congratulate you on delivering another rock-solid strike to defend safety and jobs.

TfL’s dishonesty about the effects of the dispute, as well as their lies over unstaffed stations have now well and truly caught up with them and that the public no longer trust them.