The RMT and TSSA unions are to strike on London Underground on August 25-28 over plans to introduce all-night services - but RAIL understands that drivers’ union ASLEF may be prepared to reach a deal on pay and conditions.
The 24-hour strikes are planned to run from 1830 on August 25, and again from 1830 on August 27.
They follow a 24-hour strike that began at 1830 on August 5. Estimates of the economic damage caused range from £10 million to £300m per day.
The RMT, ASLEF and the TSSA (Transport & Salaried Staff Association) rejected a revised offer from LU (see panel below).
LU has estimated that were it to accept the union demands, the cost would be £1.4 billion over the course of the Transport for London business plan to 2023/24.
It says this money would have to come from an immediate 6.5% increase in fares on top of the annual increase already assumed, equating to a £152 increase on an annual Zone 1-6 Travelcard. Alternatively, the funds would have to come from a “wholesale scaling back of vital modernisation plans”.
“No responsible management could even contemplate such demands,“ said LU Chief Operating Officer Steve Griffiths.
TfL’s offer
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Union demands Guaranteed above-inflation pay rises into the future. A reduced 32-hour, four-day week for the same full-time salary, and no Night Tube duties, even though LU staff are already employed on contracts requiring 24-hour working. Bonus payments to cover a short transitional period to be paid forever, even when drivers have the individual choice whether or not to work Night Tube shifts at all. Payments to be made to staff on lines where the Night Tube will not even be operating. Re-hiring hundreds of staff for back office jobs. |
- For more on this story, see RAIL 781 published on August 19 2015
patrick Speaight - 06/09/2015 21:10
Where is the leadership. The first ticket machine marked the demise of the ticket office.; The night shift has been a standard in commerce. Why are the Rail Unions so ill prepared. I wish there was a method where the tax payer could fine the leadership for the poor planning and preparing their membership for change. I wonder those, what whose shifts do not comply with the rail union's working hours,whom do they feel? Please do not associate ASLEF with these remarks. 24Hour tube service will come with the passenger not being burden by the heavy cost of travel; create a different company with those who would like the current salaries that are on offer! We hae a hugh number of migrants; now there is a thought!!