Strike threat in Tube Lines’ London Underground upgrade

WORKERS at Tube Lines on the London Underground have voted for strike action, according to their union. Disputes on pay, jobs and conditions continue following TfL's announcement that it is buying out the Tube Lines operation.

By Mike Brooke

WORKERS at Tube Lines, the contractors modernising much of the London Underground, have voted overwhelmingly for strike action, according to their union.

Disputes on pay, jobs and conditions continue following Transport for London's announcement last month that it is buying out the Tube Lines operation.

But the company will still exist as a separate legal entity and the threat to jobs and pay remains, according to the RMT union in a statement today (Monday).

"We do not expect to take the hit for the final collapse of the disastrous tube privatisation experiment," said Union General Secretary Bob Crow.

"Those responsible for the fiasco have creamed off vast amounts of Londoners' cash in profits and are even getting a further �310 million 'golden goodbye' pay-off in what is a 'reward for failure' on a massive scale."

The union is claiming 92 per cent of its members at Tube Lines have voted for strike and other industrial action.

It is calling on TfL to "take responsibility" for maintaining pay, jobs and conditions of the Tube Line workforce to get the upgrade programme 'back on track' in time for the 2012 Olympics.