London Olympics pay deal eases tube strike fears

London Underground drivers get one-off payment and extra money for late and long shifts during Olympic Games Tube passengers are set to escape the threat of strike action during next year’s Olympics after London Underground (LU) bosses reached a deal with train drivers. Under the terms of the deal, negotiated with unions led by Aslef and the RMT, all tube drivers will receive a one-off payment of £500 and will be paid more during the Games if they work shifts that finish after 1.30am or last more than eight hours. LU’s managing director, Mike Brown, said the agreement was a “good deal” for drivers and thousands of Olympic spectators. “LU is committed to ensuring that the train service we provide contributes to the successful operation of the Games and I am pleased that we and the unions have been able to engage in constructive dialogue to reach this agreement,” he said. The deal covers the period from 27 July to 9 September. LU, part of the mayor’s Transport for London authority, did not confirm whether the deal contained a no-strike agreement, under which unions would agree that all disputes that arise during the Olympics are referred to the Acas conciliation service. Network Rail, the owner of Britain’s tracks and stations, included such a clause in its Olympics pay deal, which included a one-off payment and effectively saw off the threat of strikes during the Games. LU said talks over a wider pay deal were continuing. An Olympics deal with drivers was considered vital by LU and the mayor’s office because it is one of the staff groups that has enough industrial muscle to bring one of the capital’s main transport arteries to a halt. London Rail transport Transport Trade unions Olympic Games 2012 Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 13, 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.