Workers on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in London are to strike in a dispute over a planned change to working patterns.
The RMT union said 250 members will walk out on 3 July in protest at the plans, which it alleges will compromise safety and reduce pay.
The union claims franchisee Serco wants to cut station staff from 42 to 34 and reduce station assistants’ pay by £5,000. The union said lower paid staff will “displace experienced safety-critical platform staff”.
But Serco said it was increasing station staff because passengers wanted to feel more secure.
Serco managing director Tony Thomas said there would be “absolutely no compromise to safety”.
“The new proposal means there is no loss of pay, no downgrading and no redundancies for existing station staff,” he said.
Thomas said that the only change for existing staff would be an increase in the time on trains and a decrease in the time on stations. Fifteen new staff will be recruited to work only on stations.
