Minister to pick an interim West Coast operator October 14, 2012 TRANSPORT secretary Patrick McLoughlin will today reveal who will run the West Coast Main Line while the government gets to the bottom of the failed franchise competition. McLoughlin is due in front of parliament this afternoon to outline the plans for the route once Virgin Trains’ current franchising agreement ends on 9 December. Both Virgin [...]
Fresh Tube strike looms as RMT ballots over driver-free trains September 27, 2012 TUBE union the RMT yesterday said it will ballot drivers for industrial action over plans to introduce driverless trains to the London Underground. The union is angry at imminent tests of driver-free Tube trains on the Jubilee line, which it argues could lead to unstaffed stations and ticket offices. “Every train must have a driver, [...]
Unions ponder general strikes September 11, 2012 THE TRADES Union Congress yesterday voted to consider a general strike in protest at the government’s spending cuts. A big majority at the TUC’s annual conference in Brighton backed the measure, which pledges to look into the “practicalities” of a general strike, as called for by trade unionists including RMT boss Bob Crow. “This is a [...]
Cameron considers scrapping housing benefits for under-25s June 24, 2012 PRIME Minister David Cameron will today give more details on his idea to take away housing benefits from almost 400,000 low-paid and unemployed under 25 year olds – but union bosses claimed the move could spark riots. The Conservative leader will try to start a debate on Britain’s welfare bill by setting out plans to [...]
South West Trains ballot for strike June 13, 2012 The RMT union is balloting workers at South West Trains for industrial action during the Olympics, accusing the train operator of reneging on an earlier deal on working hours. The union claims SWT has breached a “business as usual” agreement by advertising additional trains and later running during the Games. The company said it was [...]
BORIS BIKE STAFF THREATEN OLYMPICS STRIKE May 30, 2012 JUST a day after strikes were averted on the Tube, workers on London’s Boris Bikes have threatened to walk out during the Olympics. The RMT union said it will ballot staff in a bid to secure reasonable working hours and a bonus during the Games. Operator Serco said the RMT was not a recognised union [...]
Tube staff win Olympic bonus of up to £1,000 May 29, 2012 LONDON Underground has dipped into its coffers to avert strike action on the Tube during the Olympic Games. After months of wrangling, the RMT union said yesterday it has agreed a deal with LU that offers staff up to £850 and drivers as much as £1,000 in extra payments for working during the Games. On [...]
Tube Lines staff will go on strike April 17, 2012 Maintenance staff working for Tube Lines will stage a 72 hour strike starting at 4pm next Tuesday in a dispute over pay, benefits and pensions parity with other workers on the London Underground. Employees at the Stratford Market depot and the Emergency Response Unit will walk out after they voted four-to-one in favour of strike [...]
London Tube workers vote to strike April 17, 2012 London Underground staff are set to walk out for 72 hours next week after they voted “four to one” in favour of strike action. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT) said its workers would cease work at 4pm on 24 April and not return until after 4pm on 27 April. The dispute is [...]
Tube support staff vote to strike April 16, 2012 The RMT union said maintenance staff working for Tube Lines have voted four to one in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay, benefits and pensions parity with other Transport for London staff. RMT is now considering its next course of action.