New Tube strike warning

Tube commuters today faced a new threat of strike action in an escalating row over pay.

The dispute, involving the RMT, largest of the Tube unions, will add to the warnings of a fresh "winter of discontent".

Stoppages are already promised by post workers and by tens of thousands of council workers in separate disputes over London pay rates.

The RMT is claiming backdated payments to last year - but private sector chiefs, who have since taken over the running and upkeep of the network - are refusing to pay. They say it's not their responsibility because the deal was done before they took over.

Tube union leaders are demanding urgent talks and if these fail will ballot train and track maintenance workers who have the power to halt the system.

The dispute dates back to last year when Ken Livingstone "bought off "the unions hours before strike action halted the network by promising them more money when he became mayor.

Union leaders accepted a three per cent pay rise and returned to work. Mr Livingstone appointed a mediator - Professor Frank Burchill - who has recommended an extra .75 per cent.

London Underground employees who were not transferred to the private sector companies are having the additional money backdated.

But the two private consortia, Metronet and Tube Lines, which took over maintenance and improvement of the Underground earlier this year, are refusing to backdate the pay to last year.

Some 6,500 staff, mostly engineers but including some signal workers, were transferred from LU employment to the two private sector companies.

Both Metronet and Tube Lines say they will pay the new rates - including the extra recommended by Professor Burchill - but only from the time they took over.

Bob Crow, RMT leader and a former Tube track worker, warned of a strike ballot and said the union is also considering legal action against the two consortia.

Mr Crow said: "London Underground has paid their staff the 16 months back pay owing on the deal. Now it is up to Metronet and Tube Lines to pay what is owed to 6,500 workers handed over to the private sector since the deal was made."

He said the union would be making an immediate application to an industrial tribunal claiming "unfair deduction of wages".

Metronet, which has taken over two thirds of the network, comprising all sub-surface lines and half of the deep level routes, said it would pay the new rate, including the extra agreed by Professor Burchill - but only from April this year when it took over.

Spokesman Paul Emberley denied that Metronet had any "legal obligation or responsibility" to recognise the Mediator's recommendation - because the company had not been party to the negotiations - but would do so "as a matter of good faith".

A spokeswoman for Tube Lines, responsible for the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, said: "We are struggling to understand why we have an obligation to pay the increase for a time when they were not our employees." The spokeswoman said Tube Lines will backdate the pay but only to January of this year when it took over.