Tube workers vote to strike

In spite of London tube management forcing the RMT to reballot, there has been a big majority for strike action. The vote was 83% in the first ballot and over 85% have now voted for strike action. This was despite some staff being pressurised by management to vote against the strike.

An RMT rep

The strike is against being tied into a five-year pay deal in this uncertain economic situation. Management's plans would mean that over five years we would be taking a pay cut.

Also jobs are threatened. At the moment job cuts are only supposed to be affecting non front-line posts but there is no guarantee that this won't extend to front-line staff.

The strike is also against the more draconian working practices that management have brought in.

Many workers feel that these measures are a direct attack on the RMT as a militant fighting union. The bosses want to neuter the trade unions in London, so taking on the RMT is not just a battle for us, it is a battle for all workers.

Also, if management get away with these cuts, the travelling public will be facing more unsafe conditions, with things like unstaffed stations.

We're making a stand at a time of recession, to make sure jobs are safeguarded and our pay is not cut. All public sector workers, like the post office workers should join this battle .

A 48-hour strike is due to start at 7pm on 9 June.

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In The Socialist 5 June 2009:

Action to defend union rights