Tube Staff Safety Strike Called

The first casualty of any industrial dispute, is the truth!

In the media you will find it very hard to find the truth written about any industrial action being taken in defense of jobs, pay and terms and conditions.

This is especially true of the major terms and conditions around a safe and healthy working environment.

This weeks TUC Risks highlights the truth behind the forthcoming strike over health and safety which no doubt the general news media and the tabloid press will label as a dispute over jobs, ignoring the health and safety aspects of the conflict which will see 10,000 members of London Underground's two biggest unions begin a rolling series of strikes on 6 September against plans to axe 800 station and other staff and close ticket offices.

The move, reports TUC Risks, comes after RMT and TSSA members voted overwhelmingly for action to defend jobs and safety. Maintenance and engineering staff will begin their first 24-hour strike at 5pm on 6 September. Other grades, including station and revenue staff, operational managers, drivers and signallers, will start their first 24-hour strike at 9pm the same day. An indefinite overtime ban for all London Underground Limited (LUL) members of both unions will start at one minute after midnight on 6 September.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "LUL and the mayor must understand that the cuts they want to impose are unacceptable to our members and will undermine safety and service for the travelling public. The mayor was elected on a promise of maintaining safe staffing levels and he is doing the opposite, planning to leave stations and platforms dangerously understaffed and threatening to turn the network into a muggers' paradise.'"

TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty said: "Boris Johnson may be prepared to go into the Olympic Games with a second-class Tube service when the eyes of the world will be on the capital: we are not. We will defend a vital public service on which millions of people depend every day of their working lives. We will not see jobs and services sacrificed to pay for the sins of the City of London and Wall Street."

Source: RMT / TUC Risks

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