GPTU supports the RMT strikers

Don't believe the Evening Standard (except when it publishes letters from us knocking Boris Johnson).

This is the RMT's case (from their website )

Stop throwing insults around and negotiate, RMT tells Tubelines

Publication Date: August 18 2008

TUBELINES BOSS Terry Morgan should stop throwing petty insults around and get around the table to negotiate a solution to the current pay and connditions dispute, London Underground’s biggest union says today.

Some 1,000 RMT members are set to down tools from noon on Wednesday in the first of two 72-hour strikes called after the company tabled a pay and conditions offer substantially below that agreed by Metronet for people doing identical work.

In a press interview published today Morgan accused RMT of mounting a “political” strike.

“We gave Tube lines notice of our strike action last Wednesday, and we have heard nothing from the company since,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

“If Terry Morgan wants to avoid a strike he should get around the table with us to negotiate a pay and conditions package that our members will find acceptable.

“It is no good burying his head in the sand and claiming it’s all political, because that won’t make our members’ grievances go away.

“The reality is that Tubelines already pays rates lower than Metronet and offers inferior pensions and travel facilities, and the reason our members voted by a margin of more than three to one to strike is because what is on the table will widen that gap..

“If Terry Morgan doubts that this is an industrial dispute he should try putting some more money and better conditions on the table,” Bob Crow said.

ends

Tube Lines maintains track and trains on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, but it also operates emergency response units across the Tube network, and the stoppage is expected to have a serious effect on LUL’s ability to run a service.