RMT confirms week-long Tube strike goes forward

A serious London Underground strike will go forward subsequent week after last-ditch talks between union and transport bosses did not resolve a long-running pay dispute.

Transport for London (TfL) warned of ‘little to no Tube service’ from Monday till Thursday subsequent week and urged passengers to ‘solely journey if their journey is crucial’.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union engaged on completely different elements of the community will strike on separate days from 6pm this night till January 12.

Major disruption will start from this Sunday, January 7 – when Tube companies will finish sooner than regular, with passengers suggested to finish all journeys by 5.30pm.

From Monday till Thursday, ‘extreme disruption is anticipated with little to no service’ on all Tubes. Services will then begin late on Friday with an excellent service by noon.

Nearly 10,000 RMT members will strike within the dispute which the RMT stated was over pay, grading buildings and journey amenities. Union chiefs claimed that Tube bosses ‘did not provide you with a proposal’ that was acceptable regardless of talks. It comes as:

• The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) threatened separate motion;
• UKHospitality warned subsequent week’s strike may value the business £50million;
• The chaos will unfold to different National Rail operators with Tube interchanges;
• The Elizabeth line additionally faces disruption regardless of its staff not occurring strike; 
• Sadiq Khan was urged to make use of new minimal service legal guidelines to maintain Tubes operating;
• A journey watchdog stated it was ‘not the begin to the brand new yr Londoners needed’. 

While Elizabeth line staff should not on strike, its stations between Bond Street and Whitechapel might be affected. And 5 different rail operators – c2c, Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Chiltern Railways – may also have partially amended companies.

The Docklands Light Railway, London Overground , Elizabeth line and TfL buses are all set to be busier than regular, regardless of not being included within the industrial motion.

Some of those companies may also be affected by station closures the place stations additionally serve Underground strains, whereas one-way or queueing techniques could possibly be in place.

Passengers took to X to voice their anger – together with a lady with terminal most cancers who stated she wouldn’t have the ability to get to hospital for brand new chemotherapy remedy.

Others included a college trainer who had been compelled to cancel a theatre journey for 40 pupils – whereas corporations stated they’d determined to shut their workplaces. But some staff stated they hoped the strike will go forward to allow them to nonetheless make money working from home.

Meanwhile the motion may value London hospitality corporations £50million in keeping with business physique UKHospitality, which stated that strike days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are ‘the important thing weekdays that commuters now come into town’.

On the Elizabeth Line, on Monday and Wednesday subsequent week stations between Bond Street and Whitechapel inclusive are anticipated to be shut earlier than 6.30am and after 10.30pm.

Stations may have to shut at brief discover, and trains will run via affected stations with out stopping.

On Tuesday and Thursday subsequent week, stations between Bond Street and Whitechapel inclusive are anticipated to be closed till about 7.30am, and trains will run via affected stations with out stopping.

Meanwhile Chiltern Railways warned that its companies between London Marylebone and Aylesbury by way of Amersham could be affected by the Tube strike.

This is as a result of they run alongside underground infrastructure together with the tracks and signalling techniques.

During the strike interval, on some days its trains won’t name at South Ruislip as a result of the station might be closed.

Other operators resulting from be affected included c2c, which stated trains will be unable to cease at West Ham from 6.30pm on Sunday till 7.30am subsequent Friday. It added that c2c stations that interchange with TfL companies could also be busier than regular.

Great Northern stated that on subsequent Monday and Wednesday, there could be no companies at Drayton Park, Highbury and Islington, Essex Road, Old Street and Moorgate.

The operator additionally stated that trains which usually run to and from Moorgate will begin and terminate at Finsbury Park on these days.

On Tuesday and Thursday subsequent week companies on the aforementioned stations will begin later than regular, with no trains earlier than 7.30am.

Thameslink stated that on Monday and Wednesday subsequent week there might be no companies at Farringdon station.

On Tuesday and Thursday subsequent week, Thameslink companies from Farringdon will begin later than regular, with no trains earlier than 7.30am.

And Southern revealed that subsequent week on Monday and Wednesday, it’ll haven’t any companies at Wembley Central and Harrow and Wealdstone stations.

TfL additionally stated that if the strike goes forward, it’ll take a look at amending deliberate engineering work on the District Line, which may lead to a closure of the Wimbledon department between Wimbledon and Parsons Green.

It has additionally urged Underground passengers to ‘solely journey if their journey is crucial’ from this Sunday night till subsequent Friday.

Transport bosses added that this Sunday night, strains serving the Emirates Stadium in North London for the Arsenal v Liverpool FA Cup third spherical match, which kicks off at 4.30pm and can finish round 6.30pm, will ‘attempt to stay open longer’.

They stated soccer followers ought to make their manner straight to the trains following the match as a result of companies will begin to shut from 7.30pm on these strains.

Chaos will start when engineering and upkeep staff take strike motion from 6pm this night and tomorrow, with no rest-day working or additional time from then till January 12.

Underground management centre in addition to energy and management members might be taking motion over this Sunday and subsequent Monday, and all fleet staff will stroll out subsequent Monday.

Signallers and repair controller members will take motion subsequent Tuesday and subsequent Thursday whereas all fleet, stations and trains grades will stroll out subsequent Wednesday.

Earlier this week, Sadiq Khan was urged by the Tories to make use of new minimal service legal guidelines to maintain the Underground operating in the course of the strike.

It comes after the primary rules aimed toward making certain minimal ranges of service throughout strikes have been introduced into pressure by the Government on December 8.

City Hall Conservatives transport spokesman Keith Prince instructed MailOnline: ‘Sadiq Khan must resolve if he’s the Mayor for Londoners or the Mayor for commerce unions. The Strikes (Minimum Service Level) Act provides Sadiq Khan the ability to intervene in subsequent week’s strikes to make sure minimal service ranges on the Underground community.

‘In 2016, Sadiq Khan promised zero strikes on the Underground community. Next week’s industrial motion would be the a hundred and fortieth strike below his watch – 4 instances as many because the earlier mayor.

‘Sadiq Khan is each Mayor and chairman of TfL. Londoners will know who responsible when the Tube community grinds to a halt as soon as once more.’

Last month, ministers stated the brand new rules would apply within the rail sector, border safety and ambulance companies.

For the railways, minimal service ranges ought to imply that rail operators can intention to run 40 per cent of their regular timetable throughout any strike.

A Statutory Code of Practice additionally got here into pressure which units out the ‘cheap’ steps commerce unions ought to take to make sure their members adjust to work notices.

Where minimal service stage rules are in place and strike motion is known as, employers ought to have the ability to problem work notices to determine people who find themselves ‘moderately required to work’ to make sure minimal service ranges are met.

The legislation requires unions to make sure their members who’re recognized with a piece discover comply, and in the event that they fail to do that, they may lose authorized safety from damages claims.

The Government has additionally raised the utmost damages that courts can award in opposition to a union for illegal strike motion. For the largest unions, the utmost award has risen from £250,000 to £1million.

But TfL instructed MailOnline it had not utilized the brand new act throughout this industrial motion for a ‘variety of causes’.

This included that the laws had ‘simply been launched and doesn’t cowl all the related teams of employees taking motion on a few of the days’.

Bosses added that there have been ‘additionally facets that we’re looking for clarification on from the Government’.

Labour has pledged to repeal the brand new legislation if it wins the subsequent common election.

A TfL spokesman stated earlier this week: ‘We are disenchanted that the RMT referred to as this motion over our full and last provide of a 5 per cent pay enhance.

‘We have been clear in constructive discussions that that is probably the most we will afford while making certain that we will function safely, reliably and sustainably. We encourage the RMT to interact with us to keep away from disruption for Londoners.

‘The Minimum Service Level Act has not been utilized throughout this industrial motion for various causes. The laws has simply been launched and doesn’t cowl all the related teams of employees taking motion on a few of the days. There are additionally facets that we’re looking for clarification on from the Government.’

A spokesman for Mr Khan referred MailOnline to TfL when contacted about Mr Prince’s feedback.

It comes after a dialogue between the Tories and Mr Khan concerning the legislation at a latest assembly.

In a video tweeted by City Hall Conservatives on December 21, the group’s chief Neil Garratt requested Mr Khan: ‘The Government has now given you powers to implement minimal service ranges. Is {that a} energy you welcome, is {that a} energy you plan to make use of?’

But Mr Khan replied: ‘TfL will all the time communicate to commerce unions to keep away from any strike motion. The laws that you simply’re referring to is not match for goal for TfL in relation to security necessities of TfL but additionally in relation to the minimal requirements requirement for TfL.

‘But we’re hoping it would not come to that as a result of we’re hoping that – as is commonly the case – we handle to resolve this stuff amicably.

Last month, MailOnline reported how members of the RMT had voted ‘overwhelmingly’ by 90.5 per cent to take industrial motion over an ‘unacceptable’ 5 per cent pay provide.

Different elements of the workforce will strike on completely different days in an try to cripple the community with out all employees having to stroll out and lose pay on the similar time.

The RMT hit out at ‘under inflation‘ pay rises for workers and claimed TfL had created a bonus pot of £13million for senior managers.

It additionally identified that TfL commissioner Andy Lord had an 11 per cent pay rise in June of £40,000, taking his wage from £355,000 as much as £395,000.

The union stated it needed to ‘see full employees journey amenities for all Tube staff restored’ and criticised TfL bosses for ‘freezing pay bands’, warning that it’ll create a ‘two-tier workforce’.

Today, an RMT spokesperson stated in a press release: ‘TfL has did not avert this strike by not providing a deal that was acceptable to our members on London Underground.

‘We don’t take strike motion evenly however we’re decided to get a negotiated settlement on pay, journey amenities and a grading construction meaning our members won’t lose out.’

Earlier, RMT common secretary Mick Lynch stated Tube staff who assist carry ‘huge quantities of worth’ to the London economic system have been ‘not going to place up with senior managers and commissioners raking it in, whereas they got modest under inflation gives’.

He added: ‘The refusal of Transport for London to revive employees journey amenities and create a two-tier workforce can also be unacceptable.

‘Our members have made it clear that they’re ready to take motion and we urge TfL to enhance their provide to avert disruption within the capital.’

A complete of 5,334 of 9,723 RMT members took half within the RMT’s poll, with 4,827 voting for motion and 505 voting in opposition to, reported the Evening Standard.

Glynn Barton, TfL’s chief working officer, stated final week: ‘We are disenchanted that RMT is planning strike motion in response to our provide of a 5 per cent pay enhance.

‘We have been clear all through our productive discussions with our commerce unions that this provide is probably the most we will afford whereas making certain that we will function safely, reliably and sustainably.

‘We encourage the RMT to interact with us to keep away from disruption for Londoners. We want to advise anybody travelling in the course of the strike days to examine earlier than they journey.’

Kate Nicholls, chief government of UKHospitality, instructed MailOnline: ‘Yet one other Tube strike is irritating information for Londoners, staff, and the 1000’s of hospitality companies that function within the Capital.

‘With the strike days affecting Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – the important thing weekdays that commuters now come into town – we estimate that the influence to the sector from subsequent week’s tube strike could possibly be as much as £50million.

‘And that determine is on high of the misplaced £4billion in gross sales over the previous 18 months that hospitality companies have already needed to take in from ongoing transport strikes.

‘January is already one of many quieter buying and selling months of the yr for hospitality, the place each sale counts, and this disruption will make the begin to the yr much more difficult.

‘We want all events to come back collectively to urgently attain a decision and produce to an finish this long-running disruption.’

And a spokesman for transport watchdog London TravelWatch instructed MailOnline: ‘Towards the tip of 2023, we noticed London Underground journeys attain 4 million a day, so it is clear that demand is effectively and actually again after the pandemic.

‘We know that together with disruption to the tube, there’ll probably be an influence on Elizabeth line, London Overground and DLR companies on every strike day too.

‘If these strikes do go forward as deliberate, they are going to be actually disruptive for passengers. This shouldn’t be the begin to the brand new yr Londoners needed.’

In October final yr, the RMT referred to as off two deliberate weekday Tube strikes following ‘important progress’ in talks with Underground bosses at conciliation service Acas.