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23 Jun 2010 14:21
Tube Lines urges RMT to pull back from needless strike action
The Court has today been unable to provide an injunction on the RMT’s planned strike action and has asked for more information from both parties . The Court has requested a second hearing once further information has been provided before making a decision. The new hearing is scheduled for 9 July 2010.
Tube Lines hopes the RMT will pull back on the strike action, planned to commence tonight from 19:00 for 48-hours ending 18:59 on Friday 25 June, and reconsider the pay offer which has been made to them and to ASLEF, TSSA and UNITE.
Tube Lines has offered the RMT, and its other recognised Trade Unions, a three year pay deal where employees of operational grades will receive a pay increase of 3.7% in the first year backdated to 1 April 2010 plus 0.5% subject to agreeing productivity changes. The agreement in years two and three will be the retail price index (RPI) plus 0.5% with an underpin of 0.5% guaranteed if RPI falls below 0%.
Andrew Cleaves, Acting Chief Executive of Tube Lines said:
“It is disappointing that the Court was unable to arrive at a decision to grant an injunction to halt the RMT strike action and we urge the RMT to pull back from taking this needless action which would unnecessarily inconvenience the travelling public. We ask the RMT to return to the negotiating table and reconsider the pay offer we have made to its members.
“Only yesterday the Government announced a two year pay freeze for public sector workers which the RMT publicly criticised. We are surprised that they have then rejected a good pay deal for their own members.
“A pay increase of 3.7% this year with the possibility of an extra 0.5% subject to productivity changes and then RPI plus a guaranteed 0.5% for the two years that follow is a very good offer, especially in light of today’s financial climate.
“We urge the RMT to reconsider its decision and pull back from strike action which will not serve the interests of its members nor the millions of passengers who rely on the Tube each day.”
In the event that the RMT do continue with unnecessary strike action tonight then Tube Lines is ready to implement robust contingency plans to support the safe operation of passenger services across each of its three lines. Those plans include operating the Emergency Response Unit should service affecting incidents occur.
Notes to Editors:
RMT members plan to commence strike action 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.
Employees that would be covered by Tube Lines' pay offer are all those whose pay is determined by collective bargaining procedures. This includes front line operational staff such as track operatives, signalling staff, train maintenance staff, engineering train operators, lift and escalator fitters and administrative and technical staff who are not on performance-related pay
For more information contact:
1. Tube Lines is responsible for the maintenance and upgrade of the infrastructure on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines. London Underground is responsible for operating the Underground, for employing drivers and station staff, for ticketing and fares, and for the Tube’s safety regime.
2. On 10 May 2010, Tube Lines’ shareholders, Amey and Bechtel announced an agreement for the sale of their equity in the company to Transport for London which will see Tube Lines become a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London. Completion of the sale is expected by end of June 2010.