London Overground workers will receive a 20% pay award – more than 10 times the amount most public sector workers will get – to counter poor working conditions and rewards within the workforce.
The RMT union negotiated the deal yesterday with London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL), a contractor which employs the staff. A further 23 conductor jobs will also be created after the firm agreed not to run more driver-only operated trains.
The union’s general secretary Bob Crow told Personnel Today: “We don’t dispute that this is an inflation-busting award. It is recognition that those staff have been under-valued for many years, so in a way it’s catch-up. This is a massive victory for RMT members on London Overground who have fought hard for a decent pay deal.”
LOROL took over the contract to run London Overground trains 18 months ago, and is using the deal as a chance to bring better working conditions and remuneration to the workforce.
The pay award for 2009-10 was offered after RMT members threatened industrial action in the run up to negotiations.
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LOROL was unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, 180 RMT members working for London Underground are staging a 24-hour strike, which began yesterday, on the Victoria line in protest against alleged bullying and victimisation in the workplace.
