The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is to ballot London Underground maintenance workers for strike action, just days after most of its members accepted a deal over the Night Tube.
RMT condemned the specific offer from Transport for London for maintenance workers, which covered pay and the Night Tube, and attacked what it calls ‘the company’s refusal to discuss outstanding pensions issues until after the eventual launch of the Night Tube operation’.
It has demanded the earliest possible resumption of talks but says it is also preparing for a fresh ballot of Tube Lines maintenance staff for both strike action and action short of a strike.
The union’s general secretary, Mick Cash, said: ‘RMT members are furious at the cynical way that Tube Lines have attempted to tie in attacks on pensions with the offer on Pay and Night Tube and our reps for this group of over a thousand safety-critical staff have unanimously thrown the whole package out.
'That position has now been fully endorsed by the union’s executive and we are preparing a fresh ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike.’
He added: ‘There are also major unresolved issues over the Tube Lines staffing arrangements for the Night Tube.’
Steve Griffiths, London Underground’s chief operating officer, said: ‘We are disappointed that RMT Tube Lines has rejected this fair and affordable pay offer. We made a full and final offer on Pay and Night Tube to all four trade unions on 21 January, and the majority of RMT members have already voted to accept this offer.
'We have already made plans to meet with RMT Tube Lines next week to discuss their concerns over working arrangements.’
