Transport for London staff join July 10th strike action

RMT members at Transport for London will be taking a further 24 hours of joint strike action from this Thursday morning, coinciding with widespread national industrial action in the public sector, in a dispute over what the Unions are calling an all-out attack on pay and pensions that would condemn to staff to a life of poverty in retirement. Members have been instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-

• 05.59 hours Thursday 10th July 2014 and 05.58 hours Friday 11th July 2014.

The action is in protest at TFL’s plans to impose their “Pay for Performance” proposals
Over the last six months TFL have point-blank refused to engage in serious negotiations over their plans for what amount to a performance-related pay freeze and savage cuts to pension rights.  The 'savage attacks'  that TFL are looking to bulldoze through would mean:

• Pay rises will be one off lump sums and would not count towards pensionable pay with final salary pensions reduced. 
• An immediate pay freeze over the next five years for at least 50% of staff
• The annual pay award would be placed at the discretion of managers and no longer fully negotiated with the recognised trade unions
• Any pay rises would be determined by punitive and discriminatory “individual performance” processes which we believe will leave staff at the risk of bullying and harassment.

The impetus behind management’s proposals is purely and simply cash-led cuts, a situation that will become worse over the forthcoming years as there are further reductions in TFL’s grant and the expectation that further assaults on jobs, pay and pensions are being lined up for the future.

RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said: “The current TFL pension proposals are nothing less than a concerted attack on terms and conditions and would have a major effect on the future of the entire TfL Pension Fund. TfL have refused to budge on this important issue despite the staffs clear rejection of their proposals. The unions have demanded that TFL immediately withdraw the toxic “Pay For Performance” plans and get back round the table but our concerns have been ignored and that is why further strike action is back on.”

“This attack on TFL pay and pensions has to be seen in the wider context of Government austerity cuts to TFL’s funding and once again it is the staff who are being lined up to take a hit that would not only whack them in the pocket now but would condemn them to lives of poverty in retirement. That message will be rammed home across the public sector in the widespread action on Thursday."

“TFL should be in no doubt of about our members determination to defend pay and pensions after the rock solid support for the last waves of joint action with our sister TFL unions and they should listening to our case, withdrawing the current plans and talking seriously about pay and pensions plans that protect and enhance the living standards of TFL staff members."