19 Aug 2008

Greens support RMT

‘full support’ for RMT strike action in Tubelines: Green Party Trade Union Group
Green solidarity with public transport workers
Greens question Tory transport policy for London. BT way this release was put together by Phelim Mac Cafferty from GPTU


The Green Party Trade Union Group fully supports the 1,000 Tubelines’ workers who intend to start the first of two 72-hour strikes, after the company tabled a poor offer on pay and conditions.

In line with trade union legislation, the RMT gave notice of their industrial action last Wednesday but have neither heard from Tubelines’ management, not Chief Executive Terry Morgan.

RMT members voted by a margin of three to one to take strike action over pay, pensions and travel facilities. The RMT’s general secretary. Bob Crow, has made the comparison with Metronet where workers doing exactly the same job as those who maintain track and trains for Tubelines on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, have been offered higher pay rates, a superior pension and better travel facilities.

“While the management of Tubelines has put much effort into scapegoating the RMT in this dispute by calling their action ‘political’, they haven’t bothered to sit down and negotiate a settlement. The only guarantee of a quick resolution to this crisis is for Morgan and co to sit down with the RMT and listen to the grave concerns the RMT have about the pay settlement for their members in Tubelines.” Stated Pete Murray.

Meanwhile, the break-down in communication between the management and unions has taken another turn for the worse with the resignation of Tim Parker, Chair of Transport for London. Parker’s resignation is the third resignation, as Darren Johnson, Green GLA member stated "Tim Parker is the third key figure to resign in less than four months, reflecting the rushed nature of appointments and giving an appearance of chaos in the new administration. Londoners deserve a
better deal from the man they have entrusted to run their city."

Principal Speaker Dr Derek Wall said of RMT's Bob Crow 'Buy the man a drink'.

1 comment:

merrick said...

'While the management of Tubelines has put much effort into scapegoating the RMT in this dispute by calling their action ‘political’

I love that. As if any industrial action is not political; as if the management's side isn't as equally political as the workers'.

Industrial disputes have a wonderful array of slanted language.

Unions can be 'hardline' and 'militant', but the equally insistent management can't.

Management always make an 'offer' whereas unions make 'demands'.

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