Tube Lines

AS LONDON mayor Boris Johnson confirmed this morning that Transport for London have completed their takeover of the failed Tube Lines operation, RMT has demanded urgent intervention to resolve a dispute over jobs and working conditions as the union produced new figures showing that 535 out of 2915 Tube Lines staff posts are under threat.

Following two days of strike action last week, RMT has confirmed a further 48 hours of action on Tube Lines between 19.00 hours on Wednesday 14th July and 18.59 hours on Friday 16th July.

From Steve Hedley, RMT Regional Organiser

Dear colleagues,

I wrote to Gerry Duffy, Director of Employee Relations yesterday because of serious safety concerns that have led many drivers to refuse to work on safety grounds. Amongst the drivers concerns are the absence of Emergency Response Unit staff who cover the whole network and signalling technicians who cover the Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines.

1. Tube Lines has failed in its attempt to get the High Court to grant an injunction banning the Tube Lines Strike.

2. Click 'read more' to read RMT's response to London Underground circular erroneously claiming that the Emergency Response Unit will be available as normal.

Tube Lines are responsible for the Emergency Response Unit that covers the entire network and is fundamental to the safe running of London Underground. To ensure your own safety and that of others during the period of industrial action you are advised to approach your management prior to carrying out your duties for assurances that a safe system of work is in place.

TUBE UNION RMT today issued a renewed call for London Mayor Boris Johnson to “get out of the bunker and start talking” as the clock ticks down towards two 48 hour strikes called by the union in defence of jobs, pay and working conditions on Tube Lines starting next Wednesday.

RMT have warned that the threat to tube maintenance jobs will have serious safety consequences with the union already compiling evidence that repairs and renewals schedules are being hacked to pieces in the dash to slash budgets.

The new issue of our 'RMT London Calling' newsletter reports on next week's industrial action on Tube Lines and Docklands Light Railway, and on the approaching ballot of London Underground members.

It also reports on RMT's victory on ill-health pensions, our campaigning to bring London Overground (including the extended East London Line) into public ownership, John McDonnell's Bill to stop injunctions against strikes for technical trivialities, and RMT's plans to participate in the LGBT Pride march on 3 July.

TUBE UNION RMT today announced strike dates on Tube Lines over the failure of TfL and the company to give concrete assurances on jobs, pay and working conditions.

Members will not book on for any shift commencing between 19.00 hours on Wednesday 23rd June 2010 and 18.59 on Friday 25th June 2010 and between 19.00 hours on Wednesday 14th July and 18.59 hours on Friday 16th July.

Tube Union RMT today called on London Mayor Boris Johnson to make an urgent statement on the impact of the ConDem government cuts on the tube upgrade programme as rumours gathered ground that the works on the Northern Line will not be completed in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Update: TfL have now confirmed this story, saying it will cost £310m to buy out Tubelines.

It is being reported that TfL are planning to buy out Tubelines shareholders and put the final nail in the PPP coffin. The Times reports that TfL "will buy out Amey and Bechtel, the shareholders that control Tube Lines."