Transport for London (TFL) employees will be balloted by the union for the rail, maritime and transport (RMT) industries for strike action around annual leave during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
RMT said that TFL’s plan to ban annual leave during the games in at least one department will make life impossible for many staff, particularly those with school-age children. Bob Crow, general secretary at RMT, added: “Working conditions and important agreements should not, and need not, be attacked in order to facilitate the Olympics.”
Gillian Alford, director of corporate industrial relations at TFL, said: “Like all organisations, we need to carefully plan how our office-based staff work during the games.
“Some office-based staff will be asked not to take leave during particularly busy periods when TFL will be working to deliver a successful games while keeping London moving.
“Staff who normally work on rostered shifts will continue to do so during the games and will be paid for any additional hours worked or for working during unsocial hours.
“In putting these sensible and proportionate arrangements in place, full account is being taken of any responsibilities our staff have for looking after children or others.
“We are talking to the unions about providing additional arrangements to help employees manage their 2012 leave entitlement.”
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