RMT confirms strike ballot on Docklands Light Railway over total breakdown of industrial relations

Transport union RMT confirmed today that it set to begin balloting members on the SERCO Docklands Light Railway for both strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over a wide range of issues which amount to a to notal breakdown in industrial relations between the union and the employer.

The issues at the heart of the dispute include:

· Stalling on talks over the 2014 pay award
· Abuse of the disciplinary and attendance procedures
· The use of agency and contract staff to undermine jobs and conditions
· Failures on training, development and grade progression which are limiting staff opportunities

The ballot, for both strike action and action short of a strike, will open on 30th December 2013 and close on 16th January 2014 .

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“It is solely down to the actions of the Serco DLR management that RMT has had no option but to move to a ballot of our members across Dockland's Light Railway to try and force the issues at the heart of this dispute to be both addressed and resolved.

“RMT will not tolerate the cavalier abuse of procedures, agreements and pay negotiations which has led to the complete breakdown of industrial relations on this vital section of the London transport operation.

“TFL, and their contractors SERCO, need to wake up and recognise just what an essential service the DLR staff provide to Londoners and it is about time that they were treated with the respect that they deserve. It is those members of staff, out of sheer frustration, who have requested this ballot and it is now down to the management side to understand the level of anger and to start talking positively with a view to resolving the catalogue of complaints that they have allowed to build up.”