RMT Station
Staff working at eleven Tube stations between Plaistow and Upminster on London
Underground’s District Line and at Elephant and Castle, Charing Cross and
Lambeth North on the Bakerloo are to strike for 24 hours from 04:30 tomorrow,
Friday August 22 in two separate disputes.
More than 90
staff on the East Ham group voted by a margin of more than 20 to one to take
action over a breakdown of industrial relations sparked by local management
ignoring procedures, the victimisation and harassment of staff and union reps
and the sacking of station assistant Sarah Hutchins who had taken time off for
pregnancy-related illnesses and after being assaulted at work.
And around
100 station staff at Charing Cross, Elephant and Castle and Lambeth North on
the Bakerloo line will be striking for the second time to demand the
re-instatement of Jerome Bowes who was unfairly dismissed after defending
himself against a violent assault on New Year’s Eve. The Bakerloo dispute is
now also set to be escalated with a ballot of RMT drivers at Elephant and
Castle depot.
“These are
separate disputes but there is a pattern emerging of unfair sackings, a rise in
complaints about bullying and harassment, and the failure of LUL management to
stand by staff who are victims of assault,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow
said.
“Relations
on the East Ham group could hardly be worse, and it is shocking that LUL is
refusing to re-instate Sarah Hutchins, who has been fired for being pregnant
and being assaulted.
“On the
Charing Cross group our members have already taken action for the
re-instatement of Jerome Bowes, who was sacked for defending himself against an
attack from behind by someone who had already been involved in a fight on New
Year’s Eve.
“Jerome’s
colleagues are incensed at the treatment he has received, and the union has
today agreed to a request to ballot drivers at Elephant and Castle depot for
action as well.
“The bottom line in both these disputes is that
our members have the right to work in an atmosphere of trust and co-operation
and without the fear of being fired without good reason.
