Network Rail In Legal Bid To Halt Strikes

Network Rail is going to the High Court today to try and stop a nationwide strike by signal workers after Easter.

The company has served papers on the RMT union questioning the validity of its strike ballot.

Four days of strikes are due to start from next Tuesday in a row over job cuts and work practices, threatening major disruption for tens of thousands of travellers.

Network Rail (NR) said it would explore every avenue to avoid a strike.

"Network Rail has a responsibility to all our passengers and freight users, and to the country as a whole, to do everything we can to avert a strike," the company said.

We spent two days in constructive talks, making some serious progress and Network Rail has chosen to sabotage that process - Bill Crow - Rail, Maritime and Transport Union general secretary.

"Talks continue and our aim is a negotiated settlement, but we must explore all avenues at our disposal and that includes legal ones.

"We can confirm that papers have been served on the RMT.

"This calls into question the validity of its ballot amongst our signallers, highlighting scores of discrepancies and inaccuracies."

NR will appear before a High Court judge on Wednesday afternoon.

Bob Crow, RMT union general secretary said: "We spent two days in constructive talks, making some serious progress and Network Rail has chosen to sabotage that process by using anti-trade union laws to drag us to court.

"We ran a perfectly above board ballot of our members and we have every intention of defending our position."

The union's 12,000 NR maintenance members voted by 77% in favour of strikes, while its 6,000 signallers backed industrial action by 54%.

NR passengers have been warned there will be "severe" disruption to services if the action goes ahead.

In December last year, British Airways won an emergency court injunction to stop a series strikes by thousands of its cabin crew.

The High Court backed BA's claim that the union Unite's ballot of 12,500 workers was illegal because it included members no longer employed by the airline.

The strikes, which have just drawn to a close, did take place after a second ballot.

Shortly before Network Rail made its announcement the news came that thousands of London Underground workers are soon to be balloted for strikes in a row over job cuts.

 

Source - Sky News

 

 

 

Posted Date: 31st Mar 2010