By an RMT momber The first one was bigger than management expected. The second one Despite the media denial and government pressure, the two London Underground strikes have been great sucA bit like a bully who picks a fight and then realises he has chosen someone strong enough to fight back, London Underground management have been shocked by the re- went on strike. sponse to their pay and condiNow it looks like they will have to go through with the confrontation at the risk of losing face. The government will not let them do anything else. action.
The strikes have broken the myth fostered by management that RMT workers have no to rely completely upon oth ers. In Oakwood and Morden was "working as normal". As depots the bulk of ASLEF one of our managers col membership have recently tessed to us recentiy, "truth is come over to the RMT, includ- the first casualty of war". ing one worker who had only Management are prepared to two weeks to go before retire- compromise safety in order to weaken the strike - cutting basic maintenance work on the trains Cosy deal and track, leaving stations comThe strikes threaten to pletely unstafled and operating signals themselves break up the cosy relationship As well as a cut in hours and the ASLEF leadership have had opposition to the three per with management - last week cent pay ceiling we have been they even issued letters to inmaking specific proposals dedividual members telling them signed to increase job secu(talsely) that they would be rity. Privatisation will mean sacked under the law if they savage job cuts. Despite Treasury opposiA "triangular" relationship tion, London Underground of collusion has been estab- have been allowed to operate lished betwuen management, La Tease-buy" arrangement for the media and the ASLEF lead- new trains on the Northern ership. All are willing to go to Line, the policy championed any lengths to avoid industrial by the Labour Party for some time.
We have been standing on As it is becomes increaspicket lines with the station ingly clear that this is no more than a privatisation policy by behind us listening to the radio the back door, we are demandtell everyone the Underground At a standstill: strikes are gaining ground ing that workers who find themselves transferred to private contractors are given the right to transfer back into London Underground. These "kidnapped workers should also be allowed to return if they are made redundant by the private firms.
Management are counterposing a productivity package to our demands. It will mean for train operators and line by line divisions among the workforce.
Unfortunately ASLEF and the management dominated TSSA have gone along with the deal. Despite a three-to-one vote in favour of strike action ASLEF's leadership are proposing a ballot over the company offer which, depending on its outcome, will then go to another Darlos over strike du tion: any prevarication to stop action.
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