Tube Strike Still On after Talks Fail

Thousands of Tube workers at London Underground will begin a series of strikes on Monday after talks to avert the walkouts failed on Thursday. The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said that the negotiations broke down because the company wouldn’t cancel plans to cut the number of workers at ticket offices and stations.

The strike on Monday will start at 5pm and last for a full 24 hours. They have also set dates for 24-hour walkouts on October 3, November 2 and November 28, which will also start at 5pm as well. This is expected to cause disruptions across the entire network, which has about 3 million travelers and commuters use its services every day.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow says that the plan to cut 800 workers and to close some ticket offices will put safety on the Tube at risk. They could let the Tube be turned into a death-trap and wait for a major disaster, or they can stand up and fight for the safety of passengers and staff, he continued. They will make a stand on safety come Monday, he confirmed.

London Underground’s reason for the meeting failing was a little different. They say it was because the union imposed unreasonable preconditions. Chief operating officer Howard Collins said that less ticket staff is needed, as more passengers are using the self-service machines to buy tickets. Safety won’t be compromised and there won’t be any compulsory redundancies, he continued. There will still be a ticket office at stations that already have one, he added, and all of them will be staffed all the time.