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Tube strike set for Monday after peace talks collapse
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent2 Sep 2010
A 24-hour Tube strike will begin at 5pm on Monday after peace talks broke down this afternoon.
Widespread disruption across the network is forecast. The strike will hit homebound commuters on Monday and then cause travel problems all day on Tuesday.
Peace talks at Acas, the conciliation service, collapsed after London Underground insisted that 800 job cuts would go ahead.
RMT and TSSA union leaders claim the cuts — with hundreds more to follow — will reduce safety levels and mean a worsening service for passengers.
LU chiefs say the cuts must go ahead to save money and that some ticket offices — which will bear the brunt — only sell 10 tickets a day.
A major part of the network, used by more than three million people a day, will be brought to a halt.
The RMT and TSSA, the Tube's two largest unions representing more than 10,000 staff including signallers, station employees and many train drivers, have ordered the walkouts. Further strikes are planned for next month.
General secretary Bob Crow said: "LU management knew very well that meaningful talks could not proceed while the threat of cuts to safety and safe staffing levels hung over our members' heads - their failure to remove that threat sabotaged any prospect of making progress.
"RMT and TSSA negotiators completely demolished the LU line that the cuts are simply about new technology and the Oyster card. The planned cuts are part of a multi-billion black hole facing the Mayor due to the costs of the failure of Tube privatisation and an attack on funding levels from the ConDem government.
"Not only are ticket offices and ticket staff jobs threatened but hundreds of other station staff posts are also on the line. It was the presence of those very staff that averted potential disaster in recent incidents involving fires at Euston and Oxford Circus.
"RMT and TSSA have been presented with a stark choice. We could sit back and wait for a major disaster while safety cuts are bulldozed through, turning the Tube into a death trap, or we can stand up and fight for passenger and staff safety.
"On Monday we will be making a stand on safety and safe staffing levels on behalf of all Londoners."
Howard Collins, London Underground's chief operating officer, said: "London Underground went to Acas to take part in meaningful discussions with the TSSA and RMT leaderships, with the expectation that they would be prepared to do the same.
"However, from the outset, they have imposed unreasonable preconditions that they knew would render constructive discussions impossible.
"London Underground needs to change, as it is simply not possible to go on with a situation where some ticket offices sell fewer than 10 tickets an hour. We have assured the unions, and I do so again unequivocally, that our staffing changes are being delivered without compromising London Underground's high safety standards.
"They come with no compulsory redundancies, all stations with a ticket office will continue to have one, and all stations will be staffed at all times.
"This threatened strike is therefore completely unnecessary. It will do nothing but disrupt Londoners, and lose those who strike a day's pay.
"London Underground remains willing as ever to meet and take part in constructive discussions at any time without setting any preconditions. We urge the RMT and TSSA leadership to drop their preconditions so that meaningful discussions can take place."
Reader views (22)
Yes redsquare, even the TFL web site doesn't have clear information about the times.
- Highbury, Highbury, N4, 03/09/2010 06:27
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As Bob is a Millwall fan I wonder if RMT will adopt their famous anthem?
No one likes us,
No one likes us,
No one likes us,
We don’t care……
- ASLEF shrugged, Leyton, UK, 03/09/2010 05:48
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Okay just seen that someone is posting comments using my name again, suspect this is whoever used to post as RMT idiot, Purley. I have complained to the moderators once about this and will do so again.
First off ASLEF is not on strike Monday, this is RMT and TSSA.
Vince – the recession was brought about by high spending Labour government? Really? The worldwide, repeat worldwide recession was caused by our government? Iceland, Lehman Bros, all down to our government?
John – minimum staffing levels were introduced after the King’s Cross fire in which 31 people died and more than 60 were injured; you think before that the Tube was safe?
Paul – if we can’t replace 60 year old signalling equipment in the Circle then how will we afford the billions needed to replace our existing stock with a fully automated system? Plus this strike is about station staff not train drivers.
Anyone who does go on strike doesn’t get paid as a lot of you seem to think, if you don’t book on you lose a day’s pay.
The job cuts will happen regardless of how many strikes they have, Oyster was brought in precisely to reduce the need for staffed ticket offices and anybody who didn’t see this coming was burying their head in the sand.
As for Uncle Bob why should he care about what the public think? The only people he has to please is the 80,000 or so members of RMT who voted him into office.
- ASLEF shrugged, Leyton, UK, 03/09/2010 05:47
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Tube workers.I'm on a penny tight budget. If I don't get to work I don't get paid. My Landlord doesn't give a toss about that, he wants his money.I 'effing' hate you lot.
- Billy, London, 03/09/2010 04:23
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Maybe comrade Bob should investigate the history of the Luddite movement and see how successful they were in turning back time and specifically resisting the introduction of new technology.
I am a working man and have been a union member all my life but can the unions please just once, stop and see that it us the public that end up paying for their failures to see common sense.
Thousands of people are losing their jobs up and down the country and those of us still in work are suffering poorer conditions and lower pay. Should we all strike and push up the cost of everything? If we do all we end up with is higher bills.
The feather bedding of the BBC staff is a classic case where all of us end up paying a higher bill, just so the few can keep their gold plated conditions.
On the underground, if the introduction of the Oyster cards at some stations has made the ticket seller’s role redundant at those stations, then accept the generous offer of no compulsory redundancies (something the rest of us would value) and fight on firmer ground.
Do not try and lay a smoke screen over safety when it is so obviously not the case.
- Boebus, London, 02/09/2010 23:51
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Maybe Bob and his cronies should read this article:
"Royal Bank of Scotland is axing another 3,500 jobs under plans to more than halve the bank's administration centres across the UK."
Yes it is happening all over the country - people losing jobs because of the recession brought about by the high spending Labour Government.
I am about to be made redundant but accept that the firm needs to make savings somwhere. TFL need to save money and have said that there will not be any compulsory redundancies. Crow, you are paid £130k - what sort of average salary is that?
All you do is cause grief for millions of Londoners minding their own business and wanting to get to and from their jobs. Just accept that you are a dinasaur and missed the last asteroid that destroyed your mates!!
Get a life and don't you be so hypocritical saying that you "do not want to inconvenience the travelling public!"
- Vince, London, 02/09/2010 22:05
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Hurrah, another strike to hold London to ransom under the guise of "safety".
It's purely about jobs for life, less hours for more money & surely everybody can see that?
Time to ban unnecessary strikes led by champagne socialists like fat boy Crow.
They will have a field day come the Olympics.
You have been warned!
- Galland, Abeville, 02/09/2010 20:32
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The worst part is we are going to see endless interviews of the wretched Crowe on TV. This idiot wants to ruin the industry as well as making life a misery for us all.
- michael, London, UK, 02/09/2010 18:47
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I wonder what would have happened if Komrad Bob had been “in power” when the job of train guard was discarded? “LU management knew very well that meaningful talks could not proceed while the threat of cuts to safety and safe staffing levels hung over our members' heads - their failure to remove that threat sabotaged any prospect of making progress. Without guards all trains will be unsafe.....” Well they did and train operations have been proven not to have become unsafe. Time to be honest: Crow does not know a safe working practice from a toaster. Before all this tripe and safe staffing levels our tube network was safe and after it has been won through it will still be safe. Bob’s mates periodically to their bit to wreck the economy and have to adjust just like the rest of us.
- John, St Albans, 02/09/2010 18:02
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"Wish I could strike all the time, quite frankly I do little or no work as it is except burn the toast.
Looking forward to holding the rest of London to ransom again. It is great being part of the ignorant proletariat.
- ASLEF shrugged, Leyton, UK, 02/09/2010 16:44"
Frank, Home Counties, England -
Quite evidently, it is you that is posting comments under the guise of 'ASLEF shrugged'. It's funny how it was you that described this kind of behaviour as immature and childish but then you resort to it yourself. The word hypocrite comes to mind at this point!
I see somebody is posting under your name too. That's too bad, because people who let their ego outgrow them see it coming!
- National Rail Worker, London, 02/09/2010 17:59
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go for it , frank
- tubeworker, london, 02/09/2010 17:58
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I am a rather rotund gentleman, having to walk from my nearest London Terminal to my work will be great exercise for me - burn off all those ghastly calories!
I do not get alot of excerise as I sit on my bottom in the office all day long.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 02/09/2010 17:45
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Power to the strikers. About time we take a stand against this dictatorship government. Why are we paying for two prime ministers when one can surely do the job? Ridiculous when they want the workers to lose their jobs.
- David, Isle of Wight, 02/09/2010 17:07
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Aslef doing what it does best and suck up to management wouldnt suprise me if you was management in diguise! If you dont agree with it dont slag other unions off its a disgrace! the tube workers are not striking for more money or less responsability its the oppersite infact they are striking to try and save jobs if everyone had a union who was willing to fight for there jobs im sure you all would! everyone is quick to slag off the bankers for getting us in a position where we could loose our jobs but when the tube workers try and do something about it they get had a go at you all need to see the bigger picture here!
- Louise, London, 02/09/2010 17:07
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well said service control BUT you should have included facts such as controllers trying to get trains in right position and drivers back to their base station will mean that train services will slow down and finish early on monday.
all customers should be aware that those staff from ticket offices and gatelines who are '' no longer required'' in their current position are to be placed on a reserve list on their group. There is no financial saving at all. Its all about getting rid of ticket offices and making people use newsagents/internet etc. what happens when people cant get thru gateline because they have an unresolved journey or machines wont accept certain coins and there's no-one there who can sort out problem. It will be a 'buy another ticket guv' and try and claim it back...
- tubeworker, london, 02/09/2010 16:51
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Just so its clear for people
the strike starts monday night... all maintaince staff strike from 17:00 .. Rest LU staff from 21:00
Basically the late turns will finish their shifts
however the night workers wont book on
You will notice the strikes from tuesday morning
Hope tht clears it up
- LU service control, London, 02/09/2010 16:21
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Komrade Crow and fellow Trots and Marxist-Leninists are determined to bring down the Transport for London's Tube Management. Who does Komrade Crow intend to put in its place? A Commune of Soviets and Workers and Doley Scroungers. He is absolutely determined to squeeze his Marxist 'Cojones' to the limit.
In the end, all he and his Ilk (Like Komrade Arfur Scrgill), he will only end up in the ruinations of his members jobs. But then the Komrades never think about long term issues, It's all about 'Political Power' even if the jobs are destroyed - they don't care.
- Komrade I Groan (Retired Life Member of Unison), Tee'd Off Tax Slave of Old Blighty's Shore East Anglia England UK Eurine-land, 02/09/2010 16:18
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Time to replace all the tube lines with a massive version of the Docklands light railway!
- Paul Humphreys, Essex, 02/09/2010 15:24
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Oh joy, I love a good strike! It's nice to see a group of working people defending there jobs whilst the rest of us are having our jobs sacraficed 
I shall be out waving my RMT Flag!
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 02/09/2010 15:17
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Agree with redsquare - if they're going to be this selfish they can at least tell us what time it will begin and what lines will be affected.
I didn't get a payrise this year or last year, I wish I could go on strike but I feel lucky to have a job!
- Steph, Crouch End, 02/09/2010 14:58
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Customers beware. Bulletin out by Mike Brown CEO London underground asking for volunteers to work on the strike day. There is a safety concern here as he has stated that those with expired licences need only to get in contact and these will be sorted! Without retraining and passing assessments I think its time HMRI got involved?
- GBrown, Enfield,middx, 02/09/2010 10:04
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Be nice if we could have clearly stated when exactly the strike starts and ends - various websites mention some staff striking from 5pm on sunday, others from 5 or 7pm monday and into tuesday. As somebody who finds it impossible to get from zone 3 in north London to zone 3 in south London on strike days I need to be able to arrange leave. The start time is important in determining if I need monday afternoon off or not!
- redsquare, london, 02/09/2010 09:58
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