Metronet workers vote for strike action

http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2007/08/20/afx4035582.html

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Workers at collapsed Tube contractor Metronet have voted to strike, unions said.

The Rail, Maritime & Transport (RMT) union, the Transport & Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) and Unite said nearly 3,000 of their members have voted by massive margins for strike action to defend jobs and conditions after the contractor went into administration in July.

In the three unions' ballots, which closed today, Metronet workers voted by a total of 1,369 to 70 to strike.

The unions said the failure of the company's administrators to provide guarantees that there will be no job losses or forced transfers as a result of the company's financial collapse led to the strike votes.

RMT and TSSA members also voted to strike over the failure to guarantee no cuts in pension entitlements.

'Our members have said with a single, united voice they are not prepared to be made to pay for the failure of the PPP with their jobs, conditions or pensions,' RMT general secretary Bob Crow said.