'THERE'S NO need for a wage increase this year. I can fill any vacancy in any grade!? That was the message from Dr Ridley member of the London Regional Transport Board for London Transport Underground Ltd. Opening what Ridley and his col leagues intend to MacGregor style management in the recently demunicipalised transport system, the message to the unions, at what was an 'informal' response to the wage claim for LT's 25,000 underground workers, was brutally clear. Agree to the job cuts or there's no wage rise.
Management want rapid extension of one person operation (OPO) of underground trains on the East London and District ines this vear to be follow. ed by the Metropolitan Main and Piccadilly line next year. In addition they want rapid progress on the wholesale destaffing of most stations outside the central rolling programme of an London alca • era of Edwardesannual 2 per cent cut in the permanent way staff who maintain the tracks is being sought.
Patrick Sikorski, NUR At the same time backup services such as the engineering workshops, cleaning services, canetc being packaged for the purposes of making them compete for their own work against outside contractors face eventual closure of Drivalisallull The LRT Board, having been appointed by transport minister Nicholas Ridley (no rela tion to the Doctor), did not object when the orders came down that the subidy being paid to LI was to £95 million over a three year period. Such a cut can only be achieved through Job rosser although there will inevitab v also be tare in serases and veduction sost levels estimates agree that 16,000 bus and tube jobs are at stake between now But there is resistance. Against the background of the miners' the unions on the underground were able to force management to withdraw a round of station staffing CuLs Dialilice for September last year. The district council of the NUR has had 'no job loss policy for 2 years. Fighting against agreements acepting the principal of OPO setback suffered in 1982, the NUR has forces the other unions, the NUR ASLEF executives the Federation into unity behind a job sharing with no loss of pay de mand which is completely unacceptable to manage ment. The implementation dates for OPO on the Eas London and District lines are already months behind schedule.
It is this resistance which leads Dr Ridley to These cases show that not hiding behind the banner of proPressures work both ways. 'dented shield' has on local had disastrous effect councils. The NUT was not immune to this pressure. A card vote (80,000 to 131,000) defeated a resolution urging non-compliance. But the executive was on the defensive.
key lest of the union's the issue of sexism. In a union whose membership is two. thirds women, 85 per cent of speeches were made by the majority of these by executive members.
wield the big stick. In addition to threatening a nil Ware increasi also threatens to withdraw 7½ per cent productivity DONS being paid at the moment as a result of the Hammersmith City Circle • lines having been converted to OP( last autumn His aim is to turn the workforce against the NUR districi council.
There entirely all reasonable wal lilco amongst the rank and file about the likelihood success in the all out battle that will be necessary halt management's plans.
But the real fear amongst those who wal organise a fightback is that those elected for life , will buckle rather merely pointed than calling management's bluff.
They wheeled out an executive member to give the usual 'I got where I am ovnaru work, duv wotal can do that if she wants type speech. This counter to the demand for there to be women on the executive elected by Despite positive discrimination policy not being won al this conference, ticularly executive, role at the male, makes positive action all the more necessary fringe meetings were all well attended, and the positive the role of the towards the opens up the possibility of united left organisation following the advances made at conterence.