Union plays politics and costs £50m a day

The RMT's decision to strike was branded "political shenanigans" as millions of commuters bore the brunt of the union's dispute with the administrators of Metronet over its members' rights.

The RMT is fighting for guarantees that 2,300 maintenance workers who were employed by Metronet will keep their pension rights and jobs after a new company takes over the collapsed firm's operations.

It is currently in the hands of administrators Ernst & Young.

The union claims that assurances given by Mayor Ken Livingstone, Tube boss Tim O'Toole and the administrators are not "copper-bottomed".

Today business leaders attacked the decision to inflict chaos on commuters over a dispute which is "out of their hands".

The strike is said to be costing the capital up to £50 million a day.

Baroness Valentine, chief executive of business group London First, labelled the strike "irresponsible and pointless".

She said: "It's bad for commuters and visitors, London's employers and retailers, restaurants and tourist attractions, for small businesses and big businesses alike.

"We don't need political shenanigans, we need everyone to work together to protect and improve the Tube."

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry,which represents 3,500 firms, also condemned the strike.

LCCI deputy chief executive Peter Bishop told the Standard: "Its one of the most pointless strikes that has occurred in recent times. The RMT are looking for copper-bottom guarantees which, I'm afraid, no one gets any more.

"The timing is as cynical as ever with people going back to work and school. It will cost us millions."

A spokesman for Transport for London said today: "The disruption across the network last night was severe and totally unacceptable.

"Unfortunately we expect the RMT's action to have a similar impact on this morning's services.

"We share Londoners' views that this disruption is intolerable as it serves no purpose."

TfL continued to insist today that the union had been given "cast-iron" guarantees that no staff would lose their jobs or pensions or be transferred as a result of Metronet's collapse.

Union leaders say they have been backed by their members in the ballot over the industrial action.

The RMT has 2,300 Metronet members; of those 1,123 voted to strike with just 20 against. But the turnout, on such an important issue, was only 51 per cent.

The union was also risking accusations of striking over a political issue today by rounding on the Department of Transport over the part-privatisation of the Tube.

Members were demonstrating over how they wanted to see all maintenance work brought back "in house", ending the public private finance deal which Metronet was part of.

The move risked legal action by opening the way for lawyers to claim the strike was on political grounds and not to protect pensions and jobs.