RMT members on London Underground have voted 2-1 for strike action against the Company Plan. There was a 65 per cent turnout in The National Executive Committee, which contrary allegations in the mass media, is overwhelmingly domnated by right wingers elected by fully postal ballots, voted for immediate alks with management.
it also voted to tak to the other fal unions in an attempt to forge unity with them in a camoalan against the Plan and for the issuing of mass leaflets to RMT chief Jimmy Knapp Meanwhile the other rail unions -ASLEF, TSSA and the Confed - con. tinue to refuse to ballot their members on the grounds that the Plan 'doesnt affect their members!
The failure to name a date for strike action is a problem as management may well combine with full-ime officials to delay negotiations beyond 28 days. by which time under the anti-union laws, acoon must correlion..
However taks with the employers management changed their position on negobating the Plan attor the RMT ballot had commenced.
Prior to that the management had adamant that th Plan was not up for negotiation. they wanted was to discuss im plementation with local repreWith the RMT ballot underway. a single healet. management in formed the workforce by individual letter that they were now prepared to negotiate within the existing machinery and would honour Promotion Transfer and Redundancy ment which has as its corner stone the 44100 vital principle of seniority.
The danger now is that minimal concessions will persuade national negotiators to call off the fight aliowing management to revert to imposition in a few months time.
The membership stood up to management les, intimidation and misinmandate for strike action within a fortnight of a crushing electoral defeat.
Once again it will be up to the AMI District Council to turn the mandate Into effective defence of the members.