METRO staff are to join a day of strike action which is set to bring the North East to a halt at the end of this month.
Train workers have voted in favour of strike action on November 30 as the RMT joins other unions set to protest over Government changes to public sector pensions.
In 2010 Tyne and Wear Metro workers were transferred from Nexus to the company responsible for the trains and stations, DB Regio.
Under the agreement they all remain part of the local government pension scheme which the RMT claims is “under attack” from the Government with staff working longer and getting less.
Last night, Craig Johnson, regional organiser for the RMT, said workers had voted for strike action and any industrial action short of a strike in their protest vote.
He said: “The bottom line here is that workers want to ensure they have a strong future, and they do not want to see the Government walk all over those hopes.
“We are not going to pay for a financial problem which we are not to blame for. There is still time for the Government to come forward with a better offer and we would urge ministers to do so.
“We don’t want to bring this disruption to people and to the regional economy but we have been left with no choice.”
They will join unions from across the public sector, including most of the main teaching unions, in November’s walk out.
A Nexus spokesman last night said: “We will be able to tell passengers clearly by the end of this week what service will be available on Metro and the Shields Ferry in the event of a public sector strike going ahead on 30 November. Nexus is still waiting to hear the RMT union’s plans following the result of its strike ballot today.
“If a strike takes place action by other unions means we can already say there will be only a small number of operators at North East Traveline, and only a core number of Travelshops will open. Customers are best advised to use these services on alternative dates if they can avoid November 30 – including planning travel in advance. Commercial bus services are not affected by the day of action and will run as normal, though there will be limited Nexus staff at city centre bus stations.”
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “Only this morning we learnt that top bosses’ pay has gone through the roof opening up a gap between rich and poor not seen since Victorian times while the men and women who provide essential public services are expected to stand back and watch the pensions that they have built up down the years take a battering.
“We have also learnt that Tory minister Francis Maude, who is behind the attack on our members pensions, is in line for a personal pension pot of £731,000 and an annual income of £43,000 when he hangs up his axe – all funded by the taxpayer.”
Ministers are consulting on plans to make savings of £900m over the next three years by increasing employee contributions and changing accrual rates.
Francis Maude is in line for a personal pension pot of £731,000 and an annual income of £43,000 – all funded by the taxpayer
