A resounding vote to strike on London trains is expected when an Aslef union ballot ends this Thursday. The RMT, TSSA and Unite unions are also balloting in the dispute over pay and the imposition of new Night Tube rosters.
The RMT recommends its members reject “a crap pay offer and even worse rosters”.
An Aslef driver told Socialist Worker, “This dispute is about who controls the job on the ground—the Tube workers or Boris and management. Its significance should reverberate across London.”
Strike at Merseyrail
Cleaners and maintenance staff in the RMT union on Merseyrail stations for contractor Lorne Stewart struck last Friday.
The strike was in support of two union activists sacked for allegedly claiming pay for hours not worked—charges workers say are trumped up.
Bus bosses back off from attacks
Bosses at First Bradford buses have retreated from an attack on workers’ terms and conditions after drivers in the Unite union threatened an eight-day strike. The firm attempted to transfer eight jobs from Bradford to Halifax without negotiations.
“They wanted to operate a race to the bottom but we wanted to put a stop to that,” Unite branch secretary Mohammad Taj told Socialist Worker. “If unions don’t fight for the right to negotiate why are we here?” Workers struck for two days in April.
Over 100 Abellio Surrey bus drivers in the Unite union suspended four planned strike days after bosses backed off from attacking pay and conditions.