Next planned Tube Strike 27th June 2011

Update 23rd June - The Tube strikes planned for next week are off.  A small statement on the RMT's website says: "Following yesterday's employment tribunal ruling that RMT Tube driver Arwyn Thomas was unfairly dismissed he has today been re-instated with a lesser punishment. The Tube strikes planned for next week are now off. More details to follow".

Here's the my previous thoughts on what might have happened if next week's strikes took place:

So as commuters looks like we got off lightly with the last industrial action on the London Underground. It ran from 9pm on Sunday 19th June - 3am Monday 20th June. As TfL said, there appeared to be "very little impact" on the service and even early morning trains on Monday ran to schedule. We may not be so lucky if the next Tube strike goes ahead on Monday 27th June at 9pm, which is planned to last until 11.59am on Tuesday 28th June.


It's hard to see how Tube strike running during the day on a weekday can't have an impact. However, much depends on how many London Underground drivers decide to break the strike and go into work.  Remember too, that many London Underground drivers belong to ASLEF and not the RMT.

The current battle of words is between the RMT and London Underground over rumours that the RMT are "willing to offer a financial incentive to any employee who is prepared to participate in industrial action". The RMT categorically deny that this is the case and said "RMT wishes to be clear that no financial incentive will be offered to any individual who is not a member of RMT, pursuant to the current trade dispute with London Underground, over its refusal to reinstate Arwyn Thomas."

That's slightly cryptic though and made me wonder whether they are paying RMT members to go on strike. But that's probably just me being suspicious.

There's still a possibility that next Monday's strike will be called off. As union leader Bob Crow makes the usual claims that he's willing to talk. He said this before the last strike:

"This trade union would not be worth its salt if we didn't stand up and fight injustice and Arwyn Thomas's case is probably the clearest cut case of victimisation on the grounds of union activities that you will ever see. The chair of the interim tribunal found exactly that when LU were invited to adjourn for fifteen minutes and re-employ - it is a tragedy for Londoner's (sic) and for industrial relations on the Tube that they blew that opportunity.

"However, it's not too late to make amends and rather than plunging London into a series of tube-wide actions starting Sunday night there is still time to put right this wrong and we remain available for talks aimed at achieving a just outcome in this case."

Bear in mind that last minute talks failed before the last strike. Perhaps Andy Murray's plea to not let the strikes upset Wimbledon will make a difference, but somehow I doubt it.

As usual, watch this space for updates.

Update 23rd June - The Tube strikes planned for next week are off.  A small statement on the RMT's website says: "Following yesterday's employment tribunal ruling that RMT Tube driver Arwyn Thomas was unfairly dismissed he has today been re-instated with a lesser punishment. The Tube strikes planned for next week are now off. More details to follow".

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