London commuters face Tube strike

Train drivers’ union RMT calls walkouts across two weeks, starting 16 May and 13 June, over sacking of two drivers London commuters face travel disruption in the coming weeks after it was announced that tube workers are to take strike action in an escalating row over the sacking of two drivers. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union has said its tube drivers will walk out for between nine and 24 hours from Monday 16 May to Friday 20 May; and again from Monday 13 June to Friday 17 June. The strikes will disrupt the underground network over a period of two weeks, with the union claiming the action will have a “major impact” on services. It follows a 2-1 vote in favour of industrial action by RMT members in protest at the dismissal of Northern line driver Eamon Lynch and Bakerloo line driver Arwyn Thomas. Both men have gone to an employment tribunal claiming unfair dismissal. RMT members held a 24-hour strike in January over their dismissal and there have been several other stoppages in recent months. In November RMT walked out in a dispute over staffing levels at ticket offices . On Boxing Day the other train drivers’ union, Aslef, went on strike over bank holiday pay. RMT claims Lynch and Thomas were sacked because of their trade union activities, although this has been denied by Transport for London. “It is absolute nonsense to suggest that these individuals were dismissed unfairly due to their union activities and it is disgraceful that the RMT leadership has chosen to ballot for strike action when both cases are still going through the employment tribunal process,” said TfL. “The threat of strike action will never resolve issues such as this.” TfL alleged one man breached safety rules while the other was abusive towards colleagues. But RMT said Lynch had an “unblemished” 15-year service record while Thomas had been an RMT member for 29 years and both were “clear-cut cases of victimisation on the grounds of trade union activity”. London Transport Trade unions Mark Tran guardian.co.uk

Posted by on May 4, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.