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AST WEEK'S STRIKE SAW SOLID and buoyant picket lines at tube stations and depots across the capital, as RMT and TSSA kick started the first of two 48 hour strikes. This is a highly politicised dispute, and it is positive that RMT and TSSA are highlighting the impact of ticket office closures and job cuts on the service and the travelling public. The strength of action by RMT and TSSA hit LU bosses hard, with large chunks of the network shut down. On many picket lines strikers watched as a few managers and scabs scrambled around looking panicked inside. It was great to see the action start with a bang when line controllers struck on Tuesday night. Management's plan to defeat us is through divide and rule. We cannot allow them to get away with this. The strength of action by RMT on the Piccadilly line was fantasticnothing moved through central London on that line. And it was good to see that many ASLEF drivers on Jubilee line decided not to cross picket lines after RMT activists organised to put a hard argument for solidarity. This example shows the power of our strikes and the potential that exists. If this was to spread to any of the other lines it would have a big impact. And it was really encouraging to see widespread public support for our action despite the big impact of our strikes on the transport system. Many passers by were stopping to say good luck, with drivers tooting solidarity. Other trade unionists and local residents came to show support at many picket lines.

SOLID ACTION ROCKS BORIS: NOW KEEP STRIKING TO WIN

Its great to have solidarity from Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC) and other campaigners. In every branch we should invite these campaigners to speak on our picket lines. We should also reach out to other unions and workers who are fighting back.

Round 1: bosses scramble to put on a skeletal service...

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LU st Bulle rike tin N o.2

Power

Solid picket lines during round one

It's essential to keep up the pressure with solid strikes and to push now for a strategy of escalation if the bosses don't back down. That means on every station and depot, continuing to build and strengthen the action for the strike days to come. Tory mayor Boris Johnson has a lot riding on this dispute. Boris and the bosses will be absolutely determined to defeat our unions.

As LU workers, we have real power. The key to winning is solid, all out strikes and building solidarity with other workers. Today also gives us a glimpse of the action needed to beat the Tories. Tube workers and higher education workers struck last week together, some civil service workers and teachers nationally in March, and several important local strikes. Imagine if we alland other workers toostruck together. That's what we have to fight to organise.

Defend Mark Harding

Mark Harding, Branch Secretary of Hammersmith & City RMT is being victimised for carrying out his legitimate trade union activities. He was hauled off the picket line at Hammersmith by the police after a strikebreaking staff member got upset at being asked to respect the picket line. Mark's bail conditions have been framed in such a way as to make it nigh on impossible to assist with the strike action in defence of jobs and conditions that he played such a part in delivering, or even to attend meetings connected with his union branch. This is a deliberate strategy to take out such a prominent RMT actIvist at such a crucial point in our dispute.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Rush messages of support and solidarity to mac@evilplan.org.uk

Political

Safe

It is a disgrace that bosses continued to try and keep stations open. As a result RMT has called for a full safety inquiry into what the union described as lethal overcrowding and deadly conditions at Waterloo station. This strike is about defending a safe and accessible tube service for the public as well as stopping the job cuts. It's important to win the argument that the first round of attacks represent only 6 percent of the total planned cuts. If we let them divide us now, all grades will be hit hard.

Having closed ten fire stations last month, now he's coming for the tube unions. Boris is out to rip up our way of working across London Underground. For these reasons, some activists have already raised the call for five days consecutive strikes. We should push our union leaders to make sure these strikes are followed up by escalation. Its right that, to complement strikes, RMT and TSSA are seeking to involve passengers and give a political edge to our dispute. We should draw out the impact of cuts on the service and passenger safety.

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