27.10.16
RMT to ballot Piccadilly Line drivers over ‘wholesale relations breakdown’
RMT will ballot over 400 Piccadilly Line drivers on a proposed strike, alleging there has been a “wholesale breakdown in industrial relations” with London Underground (LU).
The union accused LU of failing to properly administer its signal passed at danger policy, threatening members’ role as drivers and failing to respond to members’ concerns about the quality of training and stock.
It said LU’s director of employee relations had breached agreed instructions by stating that staff other than the driver have the final say on the serviceability and safety of a train.
Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT, said: “Industrial relations on the Piccadilly Line have been corroded through repeated failures to follow agreements, policies and procedures.
“It is those failures that have led to the wholesale breakdown in industrial relations which has triggered this ballot for action.”
The union also claimed LU had breached its work attendance and harassment and bullying policies to the detriment of members.
The ballot will run from 1 to 15 November.
Brian Woodhead, London Underground’s operations director, said: “We urge the RMT to work with us constructively to find solutions to the issues they have raised, rather than disrupting Londoners with strikes.
“We remain keen to engage with the trade unions and are open for talks at ACAS in order to resolve this dispute as soon as possible.”
The Piccadilly Line is the fourth busiest on the Underground network and serves the terminals at Heathrow Airport.
The news follows RMT’s announcement yesterday that it intends to ballot nearly 3,500 London Underground station staff over concerns that staff cuts would constitute a safety risk.
Drivers on the Circle and Hammersmith and City lines went on strike earlier this month.
(Top image c. Dominic Lipinski, PA Images)
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