Union considers strike over sackings (From Harrow Times)

RMT union considers strike over sacking of Bakerloo line workers

1:43pm Tuesday 15th January 2013 in News By Emma Innes

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union is holding a ballot over possible strike action.

The union will ballot all staff working on London Underground contracts with the Trainpeople agency.

The strike is being proposed because of the sacking of 33 agency workers who worked on the Bakerloo line between Queens Park and Harrow and Wealdstone.

London Underground inherited a contract with the Trainpeople agency from Silverlink in 2007.

The RMT claims that in breach of agreements with unions, for five years London Underground continued to use agency staff in London Underground uniform while Trainpeople paid them as little as £6.75 per hour.

Trainpeople staff joined the RMT and organised for equal rights with permanent staff.

However, then, in December, London Underground terminated its contract with the Trainpeople agency leaving staff facing the immediate prospect of losing their livelihoods.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “The way that Trainpeople have used and abused a group of workers who have been “temporary” for five years is a disgrace and RMT will not sit back while this exploitation is allowed to fester on London Underground.

“This dispute also makes a mockery of regulations that are supposed to protect agency staff but which cynical employers can duck and weave their way around with the connivance of both the EU and the British Government.

“RMT wants permanent and direct employment for these low paid workers and we are setting out on a major campaign to achieve just that.”

There have already been protests about the sackings in Wembley Central and in central London.