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LU pay talks over all-night services at ‘critical point’ and may collapse

Talks on pay which would fund all-night services on some Tube lines from September have reached a “critical point” and could collapse, the rail union RMT has claimed.

Union bosses say that the employers have offered a “pitiful, non-consolidated lump-sum offer for night working which RMT has rejected as wholly unacceptable and an insult to members working flat out to meet surging Tube demand”.

London Underground (LU) had proposed a two-year settlement of 0.5% in the first year and inflation (RPI) in the second year. For the introduction of ‘Night Tube’ services in September it had proposed a £500 non-consolidated payment for LU operational staff.

But RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “The pitiful and insulting pay offer to London Underground staff has met with a furious response from our members right across the combine and RMT’s executive will be considering the next steps in pursuing a deal which properly rewards the workforce and all options remain open in that campaign.”

LU had announced that 24-hour services will begin on Friday and Saturday nights on the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines from 12 September.

Nick Brown, LU chief operating officer, added that the organisation has started discussions with unions on a new pay agreement, that is affordable, sustainable and fair.

He said the proposed deal, which the RMT has dismissed, “is dependent on successful organisational readiness ahead of the new Night Tube services and a sustained period of successful operation once implemented”.

Network Rail dispute

RMT has also started distributing ballot papers today to Network Rail members in Operations, Maintenance, Customer Services and associated grades over what the company says is its final pay offer.

The union is recommending that members reject the proposals. The voting papers which are despatched to home addresses today, and the referendum will close on Tuesday 24 March 2015.

Subject to the outcome of the vote and a decision of the union’s executive, RMT said it would have enough time to ballot and serve notice for any action in late April/early May.

Weekend LU strike over sacking

The RMT union went on strike over a separate issue, the sacking of a colleague, on Saturday night. London Underground said: “There was no disruption to services, with only a few drivers not turning up for work. Over 95% after-midnight services ran as scheduled and most lines ran 100% of their scheduled service.”

Nick Brown, London Underground’s chief operating officer, said: “We have been clear from the outset that the RMT had absolutely no basis to take strike action after one of their members was dismissed for failing alcohol breath tests. This indefensible strike achieved nothing whatsoever.”

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said after the previous strike over this issue in December: “Our members are standing rock solid, shoulder to shoulder with their victimised colleague and as we have said all along the union is determined to secure a just and fair outcome to this dispute.”

Eamonn Lynch from the RMT previously said: “Alex [McGuigan] was dismissed for failing a breath test. LUL were aware he has type 2 diabetes and the probability of registering a false positive was known. But LUL destroyed the urine sample that would have given a definitive answer.”

London Underground rejected that, saying: “Diabetes produces acetone in the bloodstream, which can affect some other types of breathalyzer. But a fuel cell breathalyzer, the industry-leading equipment used by LU, is not affected by acetone, which it can’t detect.

“LU doesn’t test for alcohol in urine because this is not a ‘real-time’ test: it doesn’t show what’s in a person’s bloodstream at that moment.

“LU’s tests are fair, accurate and industry-recognised. They meet legal obligations, which are policed and monitored closely by the Office of Rail Regulation.”

UPDATE

RTM was told that pay talks are still ongoing between RMT and LU.

(Image: Nick Ansell)

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