Member Article

48-hour strike to hit London's DLR

London’s Docklands Light Railway (DLR) will experience severe disruption next week as members of the RMT Union plan a strike.

Staff will strike for 48-hours, from 4am on Monday 2 November, over disputes regarding working conditions and the use of agency staff.

The DLR, which is currently used by 300,000 passengers a day, will completely close during the strike period.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “We will not sit back and allow this aggressive and bullying culture to develop on this key part of London’s transport network. The company should not have underestimated the anger of the workforce and its abject failure to address these issues which left us with no option but to ballot for action and that ballot registered a massive 92% in favour,”

“Despite strenuous efforts by RMT negotiators in talks since the ballot was confirmed, the company have dug their heels in and have failed to make progress in a number of key areas at the heart of the dispute. As a result, RMT has no option but to confirm 48 hours of strike action for next week.”

Kevin Thomas, managing director of KeolisAmey Docklands, said: “We have held a number of meetings with RMT representatives in recent weeks, and it is clear that all of the issues they have raised can be resolved, or, in some cases, removed from the dispute and managed through the established appropriate channels.

“It is extremely frustrating that RMT appear intent on proceeding with strike action rather than seeking resolution to the issues. Such action will cause unnecessary disruption for our passengers, which I believe is avoidable.

“As always, we continue to seek meaningful and reasonable discussion with the union, with a view to achieving resolution and preventing disruption for our passengers.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .