This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/6501447.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Tube employees vote for strike Tube employees vote for strike
(about 2 hours later)
Hundreds of Tube workers have voted in favour of industrial action in a row over employment, a union has said.Hundreds of Tube workers have voted in favour of industrial action in a row over employment, a union has said.
Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members, employed by maintenance firm Metronet, voted by 750 to 60 in favour of strike action.Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members, employed by maintenance firm Metronet, voted by 750 to 60 in favour of strike action.
The RMT, which is angry at plans to transfer staff into parent firms, will announce its next steps shortly.The RMT, which is angry at plans to transfer staff into parent firms, will announce its next steps shortly.
Metronet has said any industrial action would be "unjustified and unwarranted" as discussions were ongoing.Metronet has said any industrial action would be "unjustified and unwarranted" as discussions were ongoing.
The RMT said the Metronet consortium planned to break an earlier agreement by transferring workers to its parent firms.The RMT said the Metronet consortium planned to break an earlier agreement by transferring workers to its parent firms.
'Maximising profits''Maximising profits'
The union said that if strikes went ahead, more than two-thirds of the Tube system would be crippled.The union said that if strikes went ahead, more than two-thirds of the Tube system would be crippled.
Metronet is the consortium responsible for maintaining and upgrading parts of the Tube.Metronet is the consortium responsible for maintaining and upgrading parts of the Tube.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Our members have demonstrated their anger at Metronet reneging on an agreement they made only a year or so ago.RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Our members have demonstrated their anger at Metronet reneging on an agreement they made only a year or so ago.
"This dispute is about honouring agreements and defending our members' pay, conditions and organisation"This dispute is about honouring agreements and defending our members' pay, conditions and organisation
"It is also about resisting dangerous fragmentation that our members already have too much bitter experience of.""It is also about resisting dangerous fragmentation that our members already have too much bitter experience of."
Metronet said action was "not necessary" and said it had not gone back on a deal with unions.
Metronet's senior vice president Mark Cooper said: "Metronet and Bombardier have made ground-breaking compromises in order to put forward a viable alternative plan.
"We have been working for more than a year to resolve this issue and will continue to work with the RMT to find an acceptable solution."