10,000 London Underground workers re-ballot for strike action

A London Underground strike re-ballot begins today in a dispute over jobs and pensions.

More than 10,000 National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) members across the London Underground will be re-balloted for strike action.

The tube union has been locked in a dispute with Transport for London and the Mayor for London for nearly a year over plans to cut 600 jobs on stations.

Pension plans also raised the prospect of tube workers losing over 30 per cent of their pensions.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is under pressure from the government to cut £1billion from TfL’s operating budget.

RMT has insisted that the Mayor should stand with tube unions against the cuts being made by Conservative ministers.

TfL has forecast a £75million surplus on budget this year and passenger numbers are rising faster than forecast.

The ballot will run from today until May 23, the current mandate runs out in June.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Our members have taken several days of strike action over this last year and remain as determined as ever to get a just settlement on jobs, pensions and their working conditions.

“The Mayor is under pressure from central government, but he must join us in resisting them and refuse to allow ideologically motivated financial constraints to be used as an excuse to attack tube workers.

“TfL has healthy revenue streams and our members are among the thousands of tube staff that make it a successful transport provider.

“This re-ballot is vital to maintain the pressure on TfL and I urge all our members to vote yes in the postal ballot.”

Glynn Barton, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We have been notified that the RMT union will be re-balloting their members over the renewal of their mandate for industrial action over jobs, pensions and conditions.

“This is despite the fact that no proposals have been tabled on pensions following a Government mandated review into the TfL pension scheme.

“If any proposal is made in the future, this would require appropriate consultation and extensive further work.

“We urge the RMT to work with us constructively and not threaten London with further industrial action.”

Pictured top: Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) (Picture: PA)