Tube Strike Adds To Londoners Monday Blues
A second strike by London Underground workers has added to the woes of London commuters. RMT and TSSA members walked out at 18.30 BST yesterday for 24 hours in protest at plans to cut 800 ticket staff jobs. London Transport claim that 75% of services are running normally but generalchaos is predicted judging by past events. The Banking community seems to have escaped lightest with normal services assured on the DLR
However faulty trains and signals are being blamed for disruption on London Overground. Problem services to watch out for are as follows
- Bakerloo – trains running between Elephant & Castle and Queens Park
- District – suspended between Earls Court and Edgware Road; Earls Court and Kensington Olympia; Turnham Green and Richmond; Barking and Upminster
- Hammersmith and City – suspended between Shepherds Bush Market and Hammersmith; Baker Street and Barking
- Jubilee – suspended between Wembley Park and Stanmore
- Metropolitan – suspended between Baker Street and Aldgate; Harrow-on-the-Hill and Watford
- Northern – special service operating, but some stations closed
- Piccadilly – suspended between Uxbridge and Finsbury Park
- Victoria – suspended between Seven Sisters and Walthamstow Central
- Waterloo and City – special service operating
Reaction from government circles have been swift and predictable with calls for further strikes to be banned. Diehard militant union leaders from another age are cited by London Mayor Boris Johnson as causing a “Stunted Up Strike” saying that the leadership are aware that we are ready and willing to negotiate at any time. The Mayor went on to state that not only was the strike a disaster for Londoners but also for the union membership as well.
Claiming support from the membership was solid and widespread Bob Crow of the RMT stated “The cuts to ticket offices, and safety-critical station staffing levels, that RMT members are fighting to prevent in the action today are the same cuts that Boris Johnson opposed before he was elected London mayor.
He went on to point out that his remit was protecting his members jobs and also claimed that standing up for Tube safety is hypocrisy of the highest order on the part of the mayor as his staff cutting proposals would only endanger London commuters.
Transport for London has laid on 100 extra busses to try to eliminate the chaos and also provided for 10,000 extra river journeys.
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