Hundreds of workers employed by Transport for London will stage a 24-hour walkout today (Friday 28 February) to fight back against cuts to pay and holidays.

• 80 workers employed in TfL’s control centre who are the ‘eyes and ears’ of the capital will join the series of strikes. TfL is cutting their holidays by imposing a system of counting holidays in hours instead of days, which has the effect of slashing the workers’ holiday entitlement by five days (see note to editors).
• Around 300 workers employed by Dial-a-Ride and 300 TfL revenue protection inspectors, road transport enforcement officers and compliance officers will strike for 24 hours for a second time over the imposition of a real terms pay cut.

Further action is planned on 27 March and 24 April.

Unite regional officer Simon McCartney said: “The fight back by TfL workers against cuts to pay and holidays is gaining momentum. TfL staff in the control centre are the eyes and ears of the capital. They play an important role ensuring London’s roads run smoothly but their holidays are being slashed. Without these workers parts of London could become gridlocked.

“Meanwhile TfL have bulldozed through a derisory 1 per cent pay increase for TfL workers. It means a pay cut in real terms for essential transport workers in an expensive city. The workers are demanding that TfL increases pay above inflation (RPI).”

The workers employed in TfL’s Surface Network Management Control Centre (NMCC) control traffic flows, update the travel information service, deploy contractors to deal with accidents and manage the capital’s tunnels, including the Blackwall, Rotherthithe and Green Man tunnels. The workers are also responsible for bus diversions and bus drivers rely on the NMCC during emergencies and traffic incidents.

Compliance officers work around London’s hot spots for the private hire trade. They ensure passenger safety and deter, detect and prosecute members of the private hire trade who are acting illegally. Revenue inspectors are employed across the network to try to stop fare dodging. Fares evasion on London transport costs the system £100 million a year.