RMT slams TfL's New Year’s Eve “ambassador” stunt

RMT slams TfL's New Year’s Eve “ambassador” stunt

9 December 2014

RMT Press Office

Tube union RMT today slammed provocative and dangerous plans to staff the Underground system with an army of volunteer “ambassadors” on New Year’s Eve.

The move comes at a time when TFL workers are having their pay and pensions attacked across the board and when London Underground workers are still locked into an industrial and political fight over cuts to jobs, services and safety.
 
In what the union believes is a deliberate attack on procedures and agreements, and a blatant attempt to wind up the industrial relations temperature, TFL are planning to pay the New Year “ambassadors” £263 each for a shift. There has been no consultation with the union whatsoever.
 
The volunteers will be expected to undertake safety critical jobs on the gateline and platforms on a night when the tube system is awash with revellers and when drunken violence and misbehaviour is a constant threat.
 
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
 
“The so-called “Amassadors” started off as a one off for the Olympics and at the time RMT warned that it was the thin end of a long wedge designed to undermine permanent staffing and negotiated agreements across the tube network. We now see as clear as day that we were absolutely right.
 
“The New Year’s eve volunteers are now going to be paid £263 each and we do not think for a moment that TFL and London Underground will stop here. Once New Year’s eve is staffed up by volunteers the next step will be Black Friday, the January Sales, football matches and eventually the night time running of the network as a whole.
 
“This sniping at staff, and their jobs, pay and working conditions, has to stop at a time when industrial relations are plunging to all-time low. The union will be raising this matter directly with TFL and LU.”
 
Ends

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Tagged with: london underground, lul, tfl, transport for london, ambassadors, new years eve