by support from tube workers. During the train drivers' series of day southern region commuters took to driving to the start of the underground and circumventing the effects of the strike that way.
of their own demands. This is an excellent basis for forging joint action. PATRICK SIDALL, a worker on the underground and a member of the NUR reports. London Transport tube workers took strike action from last Monday against managements attempts to unilaterally impose new timetables. ANY rail strike will be immeasurably strengthened cent effective.
strikes earlier this year, At this time, NUR members on the tubes are taking action in support By the beginning of the Monday rush hour was clear that despite LT's claims of limited services on some lines, the strike was 90 per These new timetables are being put torwara by management as a direct result of the Tory law lords decision earlier this year to wreck the Labour GLC's cheap fares policy.
If accepted, the new timetables would mean less frequent service TOI the passengers, and less muras or tao crews ow. ing their shifts. Although this would probably not lead to compulsory redundancies, it would create, in the short term, a much larger pool of spare train crews whose numbers would then be cut back wastage.
LT have already announced thạt they want 500 train crew jobs to go.
Wage levels would also be affected. Later starting times, and earlier finishing times would both erode overtime earnings and also speed moves towards the removal of the night shift. These moves would affect Furthermore just guards who'll lose thei jobs. One of the productivity items, the 'open station' certainty or une cole queue like signalmen when services ,000 jobs in Nobody lobs are sarcars. next Already and lailways ark apart. crouen is chougil Sir Peter 'No one who has Parker also examined our proposals for lexible rosterin objective them. What rubbish! Does been abi lault this mean that all the drivers ASLEF drivers and guards who both against cent grades and conference all incapable of seeing lexible rostering for what it - a cost-cutting scheme all LT Underground workers.
The new timetables are just the thin end of the wedge and deep coin i managemen was res introduce. These include:
• One person operated trains • Automatic fare collection • Automauc barriers • The closure of sections of track and less used stations .
But the action so far has been mounted despite the lack of a clear lead from the unior head Unity House to get more work for less pay Train crews who are working these rosters working nine overtille working which were forced to do to make up for our disastrously low basic rate Besides, the job is quite flexible enough as it 1s. We nav:
cutterent starting each dar - with two hours flexibility' either side hifts start at all hours of th nient anu udy vy c alcau work unsocial hours so that the commuters the world sleeps pee be e tra themselves • pub, train crews are al Sir Peter Parker says we shouldn't support our union's strike But unless strike action is taken or rele and his way is the bag tinue is the biggest all to the industry and our jobs. refuse to issue a clear state ment, specifically of the nev timetable. - reivine instead •n a orevious statement car• ing for general non-coopera. tion with any measures ing from the House of Lords decision.
Section council representing train crews did send out specific instructions, but right up until Sunday night many were wallus to sec wilat daD- e pened next morning. here have been no depot meeting BR boss, Sir Peter Parker working instead of coming out in support.
NUR London District SUnto make it clear to the whole LT membership tha the strike continues until th new timetables Secondly, that all NUR should be out on strike. Final ly LT must be forced to make eity strings all ace united action by train and bus workers across London
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