14 March 2023
RMT Press Office:
Tube union, RMT wrote to Sadiq Khan today, urging him to reverse the managed decline of London Underground, to protect pensions, passenger safety and to halt job cuts.
Over 10,000 RMT members will be taking strike action across the tube tomorrow shutting down London Underground.
In his letter to the London Mayor, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch writes:
"As you know, at this moment, London Underground managers are imposing new rosters across our tube stations which are based on cutting 600 station staff jobs.
"In January, I wrote to you raising my serious concerns about the safety consequences of these cuts. Because they are now so short-staffed, managers appear to be mis-using waivers in order to override agreed minimum safe staffing levels at Tube stations.
"This means that stations are now opening with too few or, in some cases, no staff. I asked for a moratorium on these station staff cuts while an investigation took place, yet managers are proceeding with the use of the new rosters. I repeat my call for you to instruct LU managers to halt these cuts pending meaningful discussions with the RMT.
"Similarly, the threat to our members’ pensions remains live, in spite of the fact that both you and TfL know there is no need for the reforms being demanded. In the Evening Standard, you are quoted as saying that tube staff, who worked throughout he pandemic to maintain a reliable service, do not deserve the “sword of Damocles” hanging over them in the form of attacks on their pensions.
"I urge you once again to act on this understanding and rule out the implementation of detrimental pension changes to the TfL pension.
"The fact is that both these disputes are the consequence of a failed funding model in London’s transport system.
"As you are aware RMT is campaigning for the restoration of TfL operational funding. No other comparable city to London seeks to run its public transport system without an operational subsidy and the folly of attempting to do so has been cruelly exposed by the demand shocks of the pandemic.
"TfL’s need for emergency funding from government has led to dependence on striking deals with a spiteful administration with an agenda to drive down the living standards of transport workers. I’m sure you will agree that there is no sustainable future for TfL on this basis.
"In advance of our strike action on these disputes in November 2022, my union made the offer to London Underground management to suspend our strike action in return for a moratorium on job cuts and changes to agreements on working conditions and an assurance that attacks on our pensions would cease.
"This offer was refused outright by London Underground management."
Mr Lynch concludes the letter by urging Mayor Khan to "change course and reverse the managed decline of London Underground. Join with RMT in campaigning for the funding that TfL needs to maintain the jobs, pensions and conditions of its workforce and the services it provides to the travelling public of London."
END
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