RMT press releases

RMT to ballot London Underground Power Control Room staff for action

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has begun balloting the underground’s crucial Power Control Room staff for strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over pay grade progression.

In a recent referendum ballot on London Underground’s latest proposals to the staff they were rejected by a vote of 100% and the union is campaigning for a similar rock-solid mandate for industrial action.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

Inflation surge to 5.5% will raise the bar on pay claims

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow has spoken about the latest rise in inflation and how this will affect pay claims for this year.

Crow said “Ahead of tomorrow’s Budget it is crystal clear that the Chancellor and the ConDem Government have a strategy of holding down pay increases while real living costs go through the roof – bullying working people into accepting savage cuts to their standards of living to pay for this banker crisis. RMT will not tolerate that kind of assault on our members.

Derailment Caused By Crumbling Infra-structure And Staff Shortages

TUBE UNION RMT today demanded an immediate halt to staffing and maintenance cuts as an investigation report revealed that crumbling infra-structure and staffing cuts led to a potentially-lethal tube derailment last year.

The derailment happened between Earl's Court and Gloucester Road on the Piccadilly line at 5.30am on 12 May 2010. The train consisted of two locos, two wagons and a track machine.

RMT reaction to Hutton Pension Review

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow says the Hutton Review will be "the spark that lights the blue touch paper of co-ordinated strike action". Bob Crow said:

"We have seen this week that gold-plated bonuses and pensions for the bankers and speculators who caused this crisis are still the order of the day while those slogging their guts out making this country tick are lined up for a kicking by Lord Hutton and the ConDems."

RMT Wins Landmark Victory in Court of Appeal on Strike Laws

From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow:

I am delighted to be able to report that this morning in the Court of Appeal RMT has secured a massive landmark victory on the UK strike laws over our dispute on Serco Docklands.

The full details are contained in the press statement below but be under no illusions – this morning RMT has given a huge boost to 7 million trade unionists in the country fighting for jobs, pensions and standards of livings.

RMT warns of more tube chaos as LU cut safety-critical inspections by half

TUBE UNION RMT warned of more tube chaos for passengers as it emerged that as part of the TfL cuts programme the frequency of safety-critical inspections is being slashed from twice a week to once a week.

In a safety licensing concession requested by LU the twice weekly inspection of track and infrastructure in sidings and depots will be cutback to just once a week. These inspections are in the areas of highest traffic anywhere on the network with fleet constantly being shunted in and out.

RMT warns of travel chaos as soaring copper prices drive cable thefts to record levels

TRANSPORT UNION RMT warned today that the ConDem-led demand for spending cuts is compromising security on the transport system at a time when soaring copper prices have driven cable thefts to record levels - leaving passengers facing huge potential for service disruption and travel chaos.

The British Transport Police have said that they have logged record levels of thefts in the early weeks of this year as copper prices have risen by over 40%. The estimated cost to the taxpayer of thefts from UK infrastructure is £700 million with transport in the front line.

Strike action over victimised tube drivers off to allow for talks and for fresh ballot of all tube drivers

TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that strike action on the Bakerloo and Northern Line’s, scheduled to run from Sunday to Monday evening over the victimisation and sacking of two drivers, has been called off to allow for ACAS talks and to pave the way for a ballot for action of all London Underground drivers.

RMT had also received a threat from the employers to dash to the Court’s under the cloak of the anti-trade union laws.

RMT joins international condemnation of any attack on trade unions in Egypt

Commenting on news reports that the Egyptian military might attempt to ban strikes or trade union meetings that might lead to them, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“Any attempt to ban strikes and trade union activities in Egypt would be a huge step backwards and RMT fully supports the international trade union condemnation of any such moves.

RMT demands halt to cuts as LU bulldozes through job losses on Sunday at end of week of tube chaos

TUBE UNION RMT today repeated the demand for an end to the London Underground cuts programme as the system grinds towards the end of a week of chaos that has seen repeated failures on the Jubilee, Metropolitan, Central and Victoria Line’s as a combination of cuts, infrastructure failures and mismanagement from the top conspire to drag the network into a spiral of failure.

This morning the Jubilee Line went down due to fleet and signal failures and there was further disruption on the Metropolitan Line after it totally closed in yesterday evenings rush hour through the City.