Underground dispute enters a new phase
In the face of the threat of united strike action by ASLEF and RMT members on the Underground the Labour government has resorted to a series of threats and manoeuvres.
In a clear sign that they are rattled, they have both wheeled out a compliant judge to use the threat of sequestration to shut up the RMT, whilst offering a deal to Ken Livingstone to take the heat out of the issue of tube safety.
Despite an injunction on their union, RMT members have joined ASLEF on the picket lines ensuring that the first day of strike action has been successful. Neither union has been prepared to accept the deal offered to Ken Livingstone's transport supremo Bob Kiley by John Prescott.
After a 9 to 1 vote by RMT members, and over 3 to 1 in favour from ASLEF, it would seem that the views of tube workers were clear. But rather than discuss the issues seriously LUL management, with the nod from the government, took the RMT to court.
LUL argued that in line with anti-union laws as put forward by the Labour government, the RMT was obliged to provide details of the numbers of members proposing to go on strike, not just across the whole of LUL, but workplace by workplace and grade by grade. The judge was happy to issue an injunction on this basis.
RMT members have likened the judgement to the Taff Vale case one hundred years ago. However hard it tries, the RMT will find it virtually impossible to keep track of the precise details of what station and what grade its members are at any time - particularly as the employer refuses to give any clues.
This will have serious implications for other RMT disputes - such as the national train crew safety dispute, which is nearing the stage of balloting for action - and indeed for any industrial action by workers strangled by these anti-union laws.
Whilst the RMT Executive agreed to accept the injunction and to appeal the judgement (with two members being prepared to vote to keep up the strike) RMT members on the ground have acted to defend their "right to strike". ASLEF picket lines have been respected.
Tube workers have recognised that the move by Prescott to "compromise" with Bob Kiley is a sign of weakness. The government is trying to clear the decks of all sensitive matters before Blair calls the general election.
Rather than accept the "offer", the unions have redoubled their efforts.
The government has proposed to allow Kiley to maintain a unified management structure - thus attempting to answer his attacks on safety management. But the quid pro quo remains that extensive areas of work are contracted out.
The PPP bidding companies will be kept sweet, whilst tube workers remain under threat. To make matters worse Prescott wants to spend some months discussing the fine detail with Kiley. In other words the whole issue is to be mothballed until after the general election.
The advantages of timing, currently acting in the workers' favour, would be lost.
As our last edition pointed out Bob Kiley "is no friend of tube workers. His interests lie elsewhere." We warned, "Kiley's proposals include potentially handing over more than just the right to bid for new build contracts. Existing maintenance work will be threatened."
So whilst we believed that working closely with Livingstone was important, it was vital that tube workers took their own independent actions in defence of underground safety, jobs and conditions.
It hasn't taken long to be proved right. At the joint union rally called to build support for the ASLEF/RMT strike ballot, Livingstone denied all rumours that he was preparing to do a deal with Prescott. He pledged that he would support any strike: he would join his local picket line.
But as the date for the first strike approached Livingstone suddenly found it expedient to withdraw his pledge. With negotiations with John Prescott at a sensitive point, being seen on a picket line just wouldn't be right!
Livingstone seems more concerned to improve his chances of re-admittance to the Labour Party than to stand with tube workers defending tube safety.
The issues are now clear. The tube's future remains under threat - from Prescott, and potentially from Kiley. But if the unions keep their nerve, the government position is weak.
The RMT should widen its base of action by immediately balloting its mainline train crew on the parallel dispute over rail safety.
Solidarity for the strikes must be strengthened. The work already being done to build the picket lines and raise support for the strikers needs to be built upon.
The Socialist Alliance has played an important role in this and we need to ensure that local solidarity groups are established with broad labour movement support.
In particular it is necessary to focus not just on the issue of privatisation but also on Labour's anti-union laws which threaten every dispute, on the tube, on rail and in every industry.