Calls for enquiry into hounding of unions


by Sunny Hundal    
8:50 am - May 10th 2011

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Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn called for an enquiry into industrial relations at Transport for London yesterday after two drivers won their cases at an employment tribunal.

The drivers said they were dismissed for trade union activity rather than the allegations made by TfL.

The dispute is likely to precipitate five days of strikes beginning next Monday and another five days in June.

Jeremy Corbyn told Liberal Conspiracy:

There appears to be an obsession by the Johnson administration with attacking the unions, particularly the RMT.

This Union has genuine concerns about the safely of all of us on the trains and the two drivers who are subject of the current dispute have both won their cases at a employment tribunal who decided they were wrongly dismissed for union activities.

Maybe it’s time for an enquiry into industrial relations in TfL?

Yesterday, Vince Cable warned that Libdem ministers were “not in the mood” to be blamed for Mayor Boris Johnson’s “lack of strategy” for dealing with unions.

Libdem Employment relations minister Ed Davey went further, criticising the Mayor for failing to meet RMT leaders for talks for two years.

That suggests Boris Johnson should have got off his backside and engaged with Bob Crow and RMT members, however difficult they are.

Boris is trying to pass the buck when actually the buck stops with City Hall.

Boris was not happy with the remarks and wants the government to pass legislation making it more difficult for unions to hold strikes.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Stuart

So they won their case and still they strike? Wtf!

2. George McLean

@1 Stuart

Why are they on strike? Perhaps they want reinstatement rather than compensation, for example, in which case industrial action is justified. That would be a more fruitful line than “Wtf”.

3. Tim J

This Union has genuine concerns about the safely of all of us on the trains and the two drivers who are subject of the current dispute have both won their cases at a employment tribunal who decided they were wrongly dismissed for union activities.

Showing his usual grasp of the detail there…

4. Stuart

Yeah right. The situation’s changed but we should bring London to a standstill anyway. How can you talk about ‘fruitful’ and ‘strike’ in the same sentence?

5. peckhampulse

Stuart seems to have a very firm lack of knowledge of employment rights. Repeat slowly – If you are wrongly sacked you should get your old job back. Simple.
In this case – driving trains. Anything less is unfair. Hence the possibility of strike action.
Stuart could write to Backward Boris and explain this to him that he could remove the need for a strike by reinstating the drivers sacked for union activity. Simple.

6. Tim J

5 – You don’t have any employment law experience do you?

7. Lentileatinglefty

The strike is off anyway.

8. sally

It is quite interesting how Boris treats the unions,and the contrast with how he treats the scummy bankers.

No surprise that he sides with the lazy , good for noting bankers. Pieces of shit like Boris will not be happy until unions have no rights.

9. BobLoblaw

“Pieces of shit like Boris will not be happy until unions have no rights.”

Unlike Ken, of course…

Boss Livingstone’s Scab Call
http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/5853

10. Falco

The insane Bobness was calling for a strike before the employment tribunal had ruled and any decisions on the two’s future had been made. If the tribunal ruled, as they largely did, in the driver’s favour and negotiations had broken down over subsequent job reinstatement, then there would have been a case to strike. As was, it was yet another opportunity for Good Old Bob to rile most of London for his personal entertainment.

If Bob Crow was a plant by someone trying to make unions in general unpopular I couldn’t see him acting very differently.

11. Winston "roots" Chruchill

“Boris was not happy with the remarks and wants the government to pass legislation making it more difficult for unions to hold strikes.”

You mean like voting refferendums which are passed on less than 50% turnout?

…or general elections ‘won’ on less than 44% turnout?

Someone rid me of this fat stinking hypocrites – the lady was right – machine gun the fuckers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXbuqbFufn4

Stuart – now you might find this hard to digest but….somethings are more important than your journey to work.

I would recommend getting a bike – you’re going to need it over the next 10 years…


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    MP calls for TfL enquiry on hounding of union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  2. Kirstin Donaldson

    RT @libcon: MP calls for TfL enquiry on hounding of union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  3. Max

    RT @libcon: MP calls for TfL enquiry on hounding of union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  4. Edgar Kail

    MP calls for TfL enquiry on illegal victimisation of union Reps http://bit.ly/loJjVU Minister "Boris needs to get off his backside"

  5. Barrie Hall

    Reinstate them, then no strike. Simple? RT @libcon MP calls for TfL enquiry on hounding of union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  6. Pucci Dellanno

    RT @libcon MP calls for TfL enquiry on hounding of union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU @ken4london @johannhari101 @PennyRed @guardian

  7. sunny hundal

    Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn calls for a look into whether TfL is hounding of tube union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  8. George Woods

    RT @sunny_hundal: Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn calls for a look into whether TfL is hounding of tube union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  9. Samuel Tarry

    RT @sunny_hundal: Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn calls for a look into whether TfL is hounding of tube union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  10. Andy S

    RT @sunny_hundal: Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn calls for a look into whether TfL is hounding of tube union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  11. Ben Folley

    MP @jeremycorbyn calls for enquiry into TfL hounding of union workers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/5XLjEn8 via @libcon

  12. Watching You

    RT @libcon: MP calls for TfL enquiry on hounding of union workers http://bit.ly/loJjVU

  13. rabasure

    RT @benfolley: MP @jeremycorbyn calls for enquiry into TfL hounding of union workers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/5XLjEn8 via @libcon

  14. Unite London&Eastern

    RT @benfolley: MP @jeremycorbyn calls for enquiry into TfL hounding of union workers | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/5XLjEn8 via @libcon





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