Tube strike set to create chaos
London Underground services will start to run down after this evening’s rush hour because of a strike by thousands of workers in a row over pay and conditions.
Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union will walk out at 6.30pm for 24 hours, crippling services in the capital and causing the worst disruption to tube services for two years.
Millions of workers face travel chaos after talks aimed at averting the strike broke down after just 10 minutes with union officials accusing managers of being “dishonourable and untrustworthy”.
Thousands of drivers, signallers and maintenance workers will walk out, severely disrupting services from mid evening and throughout Wednesday.
London underground was urging people not to drive into central London during the strike and suggested that workers should walk to their office wherever possible.
No extra parking spaces will be provided and the daily £5 (€7.50) congestion charge will still apply.
Tube services, used by three million people every day will be “very limited,” managers admitted.
After yesterday’s talks collapsed, London regional organiser Bobby Law said: “They clearly have no intention of reaching an agreement. It is time to stop the lying and get around the negotiating table.”
LU’s chief operating officer Mike Brown improved the pay offer yesterday and said the proposed deal was “excellent” and would give workers a pay rise of 3.5% over the next year as well as guarantees to reduce the working week from 37.5 to 35 by 2006.
“Given such an offer the RMT strike is unjustified and will make travelling in the capital incredibly difficult for millions of Londoners and commuters.”
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said the talks were a “PR exercise” and said a number of unacceptable “strings” remained attached to the deal.
These included up to 800 job losses, cuts in station supervisors and measures aimed at improving attendance.
The union also maintained that thousands of signal workers would not see their hours reduced.
The union added that moves to run tube trains until 2am at weekends could leave drivers and other staff “stranded” and having to find their own way home.
It will be the first tube-wide strike for two years and will lead to huge disruption for workers, tourists and other travellers.
LU warned that bus services would be much busier than normal and urged passengers to be patient and allow more time for their journeys.
Maurice Fitzpatrick, head of economy at accountants Numerica said a total Tube stoppage would cost the economy £70m (€105m) a day.
