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Solidarity is alive and kicking!

On the 17th and 18th of December, the Bakerloo Line’s General Manager, Mr Lance Ramsey informed passengers “A proposed strike by drivers belonging to the RMT Union may affect Bakerloo line services on Saturday. Trains will continue to run on the line but your journey may take longer”.
How wrong was he? This written contract with the travelling public was breached as train drivers on the Bakerloo line took strike action to stop the victimisation of Eamonn Lynch.
Thousands of passengers who had made plans on the basis of this promise were let down as Bakerloo drivers shutdown the line.
The strike from RMT and Aslef members shows that drivers are determined to overturn the sacking of Eamonn Lynch.
RMT Pickets at Elephant and Queens Park were joined by Aslef members and activists on the line. Pickets at Queens Park, braving Siberian weather conditions, were delighted when an Aslef member brought flasks of coffee and bacon rolls.
If LU bosses thought they could sack Eamonn Lynch without any repercussions then they got a shock on Saturday.
If LU bosses thought they could get away with another disgraceful sacking on the line, then, like Mr Ramsey they are deluded.
Drivers took action to stop the unlawful victimisation of our workmate. This is a clear message to management that we are prepared to stand together to stop managers picking off drivers at will.
For the first time ever the Bakerloo was shut down over a line issue only and not part of a combine wide dispute. In the run up to the strike the mood of solidarity was infectious and drivers took courage and strength in their resolve to take action to defend their colleague.
From the start of traffic there was not a single train running. It wasn’t until 17:00 hours that a token Queens Park to Paddington shuttle ran as a pathetic PR stunt.
Drivers on the line can be proud that they have stood together to overturn this injustice.
As all drivers are aware the RMT has already lodged a Directors Appeal with LU HR Director, Gerry Duffy. The appeal is based on the well known issues surrounding Eamonn’s case and the ruling from the Interim Relief Tribunal. But RMT General Secretary, Bob Crow also wrote to Mr Duffy saying “there is a new point of principal arising from the CDI and the appeal rulings where it is stated that management considered other possible sanctions but because there are no jobs on the stations they were not able to consider reducing Eamonn Lynch in grade. This is an entirely new development which sets a new principal in dealing with disciplinary charges in general.”
This is an entirely new development affecting every driver on the combine. In the outcomes of the CDI and Appeal hearings in Eamonn’s case London Underground have said that they will no longer consider reducing a driver in grade because there are no jobs on the stations!
So for decades if a driver was disciplined there was always the option of dipping them to stations for a time as punishment for the error / misdemeanour; this now appears to be have been unilaterally withdrawn by management. The RMT believes this is intolerable.
The magnificent strike on Saturday 18th of December has let management know our resolve on this issue. This is not a protest or a one off, to let off some steam. This strike is to reinstate our victimised workmate. The RMT will be calling further strike action. Reinstate Eamonn Lynch!