Pensions dispute to hit communters
Wednesday 31 October 2012
Printable
EmailA new wave of industrial action in a long-running dispute over pensions and benefits will halt vital engineering works this weekend, writes Tony Patey.
RMT said essential works on the Northern Line worth tens of millions of pounds have been cancelled and there were also safety fears as the Emergency Response Unit supports the action.
Tube Lines members have been instructed not to book on for turns of duty from 6am this morning until 5.59am on Friday, and to refuse to work any overtime from 6am tomorrow until 5.59am on Monday.
RMT said when Tube Lines was created as part of a public private partnership in 2003 it closed its section of the Transport for London Pension Fund to new employees and opened up an inferior one.
After nine years most workers are now either in the new scheme or have no pension provision.
RMT has been pressing management to reopen the original pension section throughout that time but this was refused even after recent months of talks.
If you appreciated this article then please consider donating to the Morning Star's Fighting Fund to ensure we can keep developing your paper.
Editorial
Disregard for human life
Nothing will bring back the hundreds of British soldiers killed fighting in Iraq at Tony Blair's behest.
Features
Cameron's G8 house of cards
Under a modicum of scrutiny the PM's international 'achievements' quickly unravel
A strategy for our victory
The Con-Dems have had it their way too long. We have to turn this country around