The union is unhappy over changes to safety procedures including the overriding of door fail-safe systems which stops the train if an object is caught in the door.
In a statement it says: “Coupled with the planned reduction of Station Staff, the dangers are compounded and any accidents would immediately be blamed on the driver.”
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: “It is our members who have to deal with the consequences of these ill-conceived policies.
“We have tried to get LUL to see sense, but they have continued to put cash and job cuts ahead of passenger safety and we had no choice but to ballot for action to put a stop to these dangerous proposals being imposed without agreement and we now have an overwhelming vote for action and it falls to LUL to pull back and start talking.”
Howard Collins, London Underground’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “The fact that 70 per cent of those balloted by the RMT chose to reject the RMT’s call for action short of a strike or not vote at all only shows that the RMT leadership is out of step with its members, and I would urge them to reconsider their plans to take industrial action.”
“These procedural changes have no impact whatsoever on our high safety standards but will significantly help our response to incidents, reducing unnecessary delay and crowding and improving customer service.
“The changes, which have already been in place for a couple of weeks and delivering real benefits, have been exhaustively consulted upon with union representatives over the last two years and do not compromise any aspect of the Underground’s stringent safety procedures.”
