RAIL UNION RMT said today that staff across all grades on Keolis Amey Docklands Light Railway will strike for 48 hours next week  in a dispute over a range of serious unresolved issues that are wrecking industrial relations.
 
The announcement of action comes after talks failed to make any serious progress following the confirmation of a massive 92% vote to strike by RMT members last week.
 
All members have now been instructed to take 48 hours of strike action with no shifts booked on or after 0359  on Tuesday 3rd November until 0358 on the Thursday 5th November 2015.
 
The key issues at the heart of the dispute are:

• Abuses of the use of agency staff  within the KAD network.
• Undermining the position of Control Centre, stores and other grades effectively casualising key functions
• A creeping culture of bullying and intimidation of staff being allowed to develop
• Breaches of agreements, procedures and the recognition framework

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

 “Our members on DLR are furious at the way that Keolis/Amey are trying to bulldoze through some of the worst working practices and conditions that we associate with the operations of the most cheapskate and anti-union companies in the transport sector and that anger is reflected in the ballot results. We will not sit back and allow this aggressive and bullying culture to develop on this key part of London’s transport network.

 “The company should not have underestimated the anger of the workforce and KAD’s abject failure to address these issues which left us with no option but to ballot for action and that ballot registered a massive 92% in favour.
“Despite strenuous efforts by RMT negotiators in talks since the ballot was confirmed the company have dug their heels in and have failed to make progress in a number of key areas at the heart of the dispute.  As a result RMT has no option but to confirm 48 hours of strike action for next week.  The union remains available for further talks.”