DLR strike planned for next week

By Rob Virtue on September 25, 2009 1:27 PM |

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Talks are continuing to avert a 48-hour DLR strike which has been threatened by union members over new rosters.

The RMT union said its members in the control centre will walk out just after midday on Wednesday, September 30, and not return to work until lunchtime on Friday.

Serco Docklands, which runs the line for Transport for London, is planning to bring in the rosters changing shifts from 12 hours to eight from December.

Managing director of Serco David Godley said: "A change to Control Centre rosters is essential to ensure improved safety on our growing and increasingly complex railway.

"This was prompted by guidance from the Health & Safety Executive which states companies should avoid shifts over 8 hours where work is safety critical."

Union members complain the rosters will cost the 28 control room staff 24 rest days a year.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "The strike action by Serco control staff on the Docklands Light Railway has been forced on our members by management's determination to impose new rosters which would hit our members work life balance and which would cost them up to 24 rest days a year."