Tube trains ground to a halt as London Underground drivers in transport union RMT started strike action at midday on Tuesday 21 April.
Tube bosses want to compress a five-day week into four days. Despite claiming that the changes will be ‘voluntary’, RMT reports that Transport for London (TfL) are now saying they will impose the changes, and cannot answer any of the union’s questions about what ‘voluntary’ actually means.
RMT reps report that TfL bosses reneged on promises of serious negotiations over a 14-page document of proposed changes.
RMT represents about half of all tube drivers. The Aslef trade union also represents half. It has accepted the compressed-working proposal, although a majority of drivers are opposed.
Interviewed by the BBC, RMT London Transport regional organiser Jared Wood said: “We would like to see a four-day week, but not at any cost. We cannot accept longer shifts, longer driving time between breaks when you’re tired, earlier starts, later finishes, not knowing what duty you’ll be doing from one day to the next.”
Socialist Party members visited picket lines across London.
Strikers at Acton Town complained to Helen Pattison that they would expect to be able to drive trains and have a family life, but these changes would mean that at 3am you could be told when your shift would start. “How are you meant to know if you can drop off and pick up your kids from school?”
Rob Williams reports that at Seven Sisters, Aslef drivers were friendly to the pickets. One said that a number of their members disagreed with the plans, and understand that they are really about cost-saving, meaning more work for drivers.
Ricky at Golders Green spoke to Amnon Cohen. “Strikes are a sacrifice for all involved, public and worker alike, but no victory ever came without sacrifice.” Nick Gray, RMT rep, added: “We went into these negotiations in good faith, and TFL have forced us into the position that we are in. Working people, striking for working people’s needs, not against other working people.”
At Barking, RMT rep Peter told James Ivens: “They want to make this mate against mate, worker against worker. If you started on the tube tomorrow you’d be on different conditions to me. We have to fight for everyone.”