Strike Looms Over Piccadilly Line After Balloted Rail Workers Vote Yes

by Benson Agoha | Industrial Relations 

 

 

 

Strike on the Piccadilly Line is a clearer possibility, after an overwhelming workers union vote against comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations, according to a statement by RMT Workers Union.

An RMT ballot of nearly 400 train operators across the Piccadilly Line, for both strike action and action short of a strike over a comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations combining a range of issues has recorded massive votes in favour. 85% voted for strike action with an even larger number voting for action short of a strike.

The result will now be considered by the union’s executive.

The Piccadilly is the fourth busiest line on the London Underground network transporting an average of 600,000 passengers a day and services London’s Heathrow airport – the busiest airport in Europe.

* Map of Piccadilly Line

The ballot was called after a prolonged period of industrial problems on the line – some of which have been directly related to serious underlying issues with the aging Piccadilly Line fleet, the RMT statement said.

Those issues have left drivers in a vulnerable position and have been used by management as a tool to harass and threaten members through misuse of the disciplinary procedure. There has also been an appalling lack of consistency by local management when it comes to addressing the long-running issues impacting on the Piccadilly Line and which RMT, as the main driver’s union, has raised repeatedly over a number of years.

Those issues have now come to a head again and that forced RMT to move to a renewed ballot for a fresh industrial action mandate. That mandate has now been secured.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said in the statement that: “The wholesale abuse of procedures and agreements by management on the Piccadilly Line is rife and amounts to the development of a campaign of bullying, harassment and intimidation that the union will not allow to continue."

The General Secretary promised that: "RMT will not sit back and allow individual members to be picked off by a vindictive and aggressive management who are continuing to drag their heels over addressing fundamental safety issues which leave staff in a vulnerable and exposed position."

He said Nor will RMT "..watch from the side lines while our members are boxed into a position where they are left to take the rap for repeated management failures that the union has been raising for years now."

“The combined weight of these abuses and failures has built up to a comprehensive and fundamental collapse in industrial relations that the company have done nothing to address which left RMT with no option but to ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike."

“Our members have now voted overwhelmingly for action by a massive 85% . That result will now be considered by the union’s executive and should serve as an immediate wake-up call to LU’s management."

But he promised that the: “..union remains available for talks.”