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Tram staff to strike over union official dispute
STRIKING transport workers will try to bring Sheffield's Supertram system to a halt for an indefinite period after bosses broke off links with one trade union official.
Members of the Unite union have voted to walk out on August 16, which could spell chaos for the 36,000 passengers who use the trams each day.
They have said the strike will last 'indefinitely'.
Supertram bosses say they would still be able to run a "significant service" and are putting contingency plans in place. But today they appealed to the union to call off the action.
The dispute arose after owners Stagecoach refused to deal with Unite's Supertram branch secretary, Mick Fletcher.
They said he did not meet the "standards expected of a trade union representative" and "undermined the democratic voting process".
But angry Unite members said only they should decide who represents the union and have voted to strike in protest at the company's actions.
The row arose during a pay dispute last October.
Unite members, who were at the time threatening action over a separate issue of a pay freeze, were due to vote on a new deal involving a one-off three-figure payment and an annual increase.
In the lead-up to the vote conductors raised concerns about whether bonuses would be cut to finance the payments.
Mr Fletcher, who was negotiating with management, put a message on the union notice board on October 17, saying there was "very little chance of bonus payments being made".
Bosses said his notice did not reflect the content of the meetings and would influence the upcoming vote.
Senior union managers removed the notice and a replacement was posted by regional officer John Evans on October 22.
Mr Evans said the previous notice should be ignored as it could undermine democratic processes. He said the matter would be investigated.
Workers voted later that month to accept the new pay deal. Management subsequently derecognised Mr Fletcher and say the problems in October were the latest in a string of incidents involving him stretching back several years.
Unite has now decided to back him - accusing Stagecoach of breaching employment law. They will pursue the case at a tribunal later this year.
In a ballot of 175 union members held last week, 76 voted in favour of industrial action and 42 against. Phil Bown, regional officer with responsibility for Supertram, said: "The company don't have the right to dictate to the union who represents the membership. We have elections for that."
A Supertram spokeswoman said the action was "extremely disappointing".
"This dispute centres on a decision we were forced to take to no longer deal with one union official following actions the union itself has admitted were not acceptable," she said.
"We have consulted with Unite at every stage and it goes without saying that we continue to fully recognise the union."
She said Supertram were "finalising" contingency plans and were hopeful of being able to run a "significant tram service", as well as replacement buses.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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