RMT members protest outside City Hall. Picture: Sebastian Mann
Sebastian Mann
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
9:52 AM
Union activists gathered outside City Hall ahead of Mayor?s Question Time this morning, promising industrial action on London?s transport network if their demands were not met.
The Rail and Maritime Transport (RMT) union, which has members across the Tube and Overground networks, wants Transport for London (TfL) to halt plans to cut costs by sacking more than 100 Overground guards, making the trains driver-only.
They are also opposed to proposals to axe the ticket office at Whitechapel Underground station.
Amid chants of ?No ifs, no buts, no TfL cuts?, RMT assistant general secretary Steve Hedley said today?s demonstration was ?just the start? of a campaign against planned and potential future cuts.
Asked whether he thought the protest would work and that TfL would address RMT?s concerns, he said: ?No I don?t think they will. The management do not listen to anything but industrial action. This is just the start of it today.?
He claimed mismanagement and a lack of investment had left parts of the Tube network in an ?appalling state?, the cause of recent incidents of tracks buckling, and warned of more delays over coming days if the hot weather persisted.
Earlier this month, TfL said more than 100 guards would lose their jobs on Overground trains from Stratford to Richmond and Clapham, saving ?5million a year.
The plans would see guards removed by December, with similar job losses on the Gospel Oak to Barking line due in 2014.
TfL has insisted the guards are no longer needed to open and close train doors and the move would bring services in line with other parts of the network.
Other workers groups joined RMT for the demonstration. Helen Pattinson, an organiser for Youth Fight for Jobs, a group highlighting the industrial action options for young workers, said they hoped to catch London Mayor Boris Johnson as he arrived at City Hall for Mayor?s Question Time.
?Last time we were here he was late and he came as we were leaving,? she said.
?So he?ll probably be late again, we?ll heckle him then.?
Last month, Mayor?s Question Time, the London Assembly?s monthly opportunity to quiz Mr Johnson, had to be suspended as anti-fire cuts protesters took their demonstration inside the chamber.
Chants of ?No ifs, no buts, no fire station cuts? forced Assembly chair Darren Johnson to temporarily halt the meeting.
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