London
commuters will suffer more strike action this summer after London Underground
staff voted to strike over pay and conditions.
Members
of the RMT union are demanding a substantial pay rise, and a 32-hour, four-day
week. They are also calling for paid meals, and a minimum starting salary of
£22,000 (from the current level of £19,000 for station assistants).
The
total of votes cast in favour of strike action was 2,614, with 643 against.
The
union has to give seven days’ notice of any walkouts, but the first stoppage
could be held to coincide with the local council and London mayoral elections
on 10 June.
"This
result will send a clear message to LUL, Tubelines and Metronet that our
members are not prepared to be strung along or messed around, and will not
stand attempts to impose a settlement," RMT general secretary Bob Crow
said today.
He
said that employers would only avoid strikes if they ‘stop the messing around
and negotiate seriously’.
Meanwhile,
further talks will be held later this week between the RMT and Network Rail in
a bid to avert strikes on mainline railways.
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