RMT ASK PM TO INTERVENE IN TUBE STRIKE

The RMT has written to the Prime Minister today to request that he personally inetervenes in the tube dispute.

This is the text of the RMT's letter:

Rt Hon David Cameron MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street,
London,
SW1A 2AA


Dear Mr Cameron

London Underground Dispute

We are writing to ask you to intervene to ensure direct talks take place between the trade unions and the Mayor of London.

We are taking this unprecedented step because the Mayor is more interested in using the dispute to shore up his standing amongst the Tory faithful than addressing the genuine fears of passengers and tube staff.

We hope you would agree that instead of barracking tube workers from Birmingham he should be listening to London and the real concerns of passenger, pensioner and disability groups who are saying the cuts on London Underground will disproportionately hit the more vulnerable in the capital.

Only last week the independent passenger group London Travel Watch warned,

“...we know that passengers feel safer and more secure with a staff presence and many passengers - the elderly, those with physical impairments or learning difficulties, as well as those unfamiliar with the system – will still rely on help to buy tickets. We are very worried that their needs will be neglected.”

This strike is not about "irresponsible militants” taking on the Coalition, it is about London Underground staff giving up a day’s pay to put safety first. Indeed, if the Mayor simply kept to his election promises regarding adequate staffing on London Underground there would be no dispute.

Only direct talks with the Mayor can solve this dispute because there has been a complete breakdown in trust with London Underground. Tube staff are asking if Boris Johnston lied to Londoners during his election about cuts to ticket offices how can they believe a word his managers are saying now?

Nonetheless we are prepared to sit down any time, any place with the Mayor to talk for as long as it takes to resolve this dispute.

We hope you agree that is the responsible approach and we look forward to hearing from you as a matter of urgency.