RMT members on the Charing Cross Group can be proud of the tremendous support shown for their colleague, Jerome Bowes during the strike held in July. Only 3 members of staff showed up for work and it was down to managers and RCI’s to keep the stations open.

Bob Crow said the strike and the level of support for Jerome had “clearly shown management that they cannot keep siding with passengers when an assault on a member of their own staff takes place. They keep stating that they will not tolerate assaults, verbal or physical, and yet they seem to take the easy option - don't upset the passenger blame the staff. Well this is not acceptable.”

To add insult to injury, health & safety rep, Joe Thompson was assaulted by a passenger on the picket line. As Joe said “I was afraid to defend myself as the way Jerome was sacked, I didn't want that to happen to me."

The General Grades Committee has now called for further strike action in support of this dispute and all station staff on the Charing Cross Group should not book on for duty between 04.30 hours on Friday 22nd
August 2008 and 04.29 hours on Saturday 23rd August 2008.

The union is also about to ballot train staff at the Elephant in furtherance of our aims.

London Underground are now aware of the strength of feeling on this and need to move to re-instate Jerome.

The strike action called for Friday co-incides with other strikes across the combine. Station staff on the East Ham Group are striking over bullying managers, cleaners are striking for a living wage and workers on Tube Lines are taking 3 days action.

Unity is strength - Support Jerome Bowes!