Docklands Light Railway | Workers' Liberty

DLR workers to strike again

Workers on London's Docklands Light Railway will strike from 20-24 April, as part of an ongoing dispute over a range of attacks by Keolis Amey Docklands (KAD), the contractor that operates the DLR.

KAD has begun to outsource more work on the DLR, which the RMT union undermines the job security of existing staff. Recent roster changes have also hit work/life balance, with RMT also accusing KAD of failing to uphold company procedures.

The strikes threaten to disrupt the London Marathon, due to take place over that weekend.

Is ISS shipping in strike-breakers?

Cleaners and security workers employed by ISS on the DLR contract struck again today. The strike will last until 3 February; workers have also planned a work-to-rule from 5 February.

The strike follows a successful action on New Year's Eve, and is over a raft of issues; ISS has unilaterally slashed some workers' hours, and has refused to meaningfully negotiate with RMT over pay.

DLR ISS workers to strike again

Cleaners and security workers employed by ISS on the DLR will strike again from 1-3 February.

Following a solid strike on New Year's Eve, RMT is organising further action in an attempt to force ISS to adhere to its own agreed procedures for negotiating changes to working practises. The union also wants ISS to respond to its pay claim.

As well as the strike, RMT has also called action-short-of-strike from 5-10 February, in the form of a work-to-rule around risk assessments.

DLR security workers balloting for strikes

RMT is balloting its members working as security staff for ISS on the DLR contract for strikes.

Neither ISS nor Keolis Amey Docklands, the contract holder, has meaningfully responded to the union's pay claim. On top of this, ISS is making a mess of rostering by offering shifts to workers outside of their contracted grade and responsibilities.

The ballot closes on 14 December. Tubeworker encourages all those balloted to vote yes!

ABM bribes cleaners?

Word reaches Tubeworker HQ that ABM will soon be extending its empire from LU to other parts of TfL, including taking over from ISS on the DLR contract. We hear that DLR cleaners are being offered financial incentives, to the tune of £1,000, to move from the DLR contract to the former TubeLines/JNP contract on LU. ABM apparently plans to fill any roles vacated with agency cleaners.

Stuck Under the River

The delights of driverless trains were plain for all to see as a DLR train got stuck in the tunnel under the river for over an hour yesterday.

It was undoubtedly a deeply unpleasant experience for the passengers, packed like sardines during the morning peak when it may have been freezing outside but it was sweltering in the train.

It took an hour for engineers to reach the stranded passengers and for a rescue train to get them out.

Picc Line drivers, DLR cleaners: vote yes for strikes!

Back in October 2015, Picc Line drivers voted for strikes against an increasingly out-of-control management that was abusing its own disciplinary procedures. The unfair sacking of a driver was a particularly spectacular example.

That's The Way To Do It!

RMT has announced not one, not two, but SEVENTEEN strike days on the DLR, including two four-day strikes, across the first four months of 2016.

DLR workers struck in November, bringing the network to a complete standstill. Now, instead of letting negotiations trundle on indefinitely, or announcing one or two more strikes of a day or two and seeing where that gets them, they've sent a very clear signal to management: multiple sets of strikes, all announced at once, escalating over several months.

DLR Shut Down as Solid Strike Bites Back

Nothing is moving on the DLR this morning as workers hit back against their new employers' clampdown.

Pickets at Beckton and Poplar have kept the strike solid and cranked up the pressure on management to back off from their attacks on the workforce. Since taking over the contract, Keolis Amey Docklands (KAD) has stepped up disciplinary action against staff, casualised working conditions by using agencies, and risked safety by licensing managers to work in the control room.

Strikes on the horizon as Piccadilly Line drivers and DLR staff vote for action

Two RMT ballots which closed last week have delivered huge votes for strikes.

Picc Line drivers have voted by an 85% majority for strikes, and by an even higher margin for action short of strikes, in their dispute over the breakdown of industrial relations with local management, brought to a head by the unjust sacking of a driver.