Travel chaos as London Underground workers to launch fresh strike in a row over jobs
TUBE workers are launching a fresh strike next month – with commuters warned of travel chaos yet again.
London Underground staff are planning to walk out on August 19 in a row over jobs and pensions.
The RMT union made an announcement of the plan today – just hours before a Network Rail walk-out takes place tomorrow.
More than 40,000 rail workers are set to strike on Wednesday, with travellers told to avoid trains altogether and just one in five services set to run.
The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has also announced a strike by its members at Avanti West Coast on the same day.
RMT union chief Mick Lynch said of tomorrow’s action: “Our members are more determined than ever to secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions.
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“Network Rail have not made any improvement on their previous pay offer and the train companies have not offered us anything new.
“In fact, Network Rail have upped the ante, threatening to impose compulsory redundancies and unsafe 50 per cent cuts to maintenance work if we did not withdraw our planned strike action.”
Disruption is expected on the District and Bakerloo Tube lines, London Overground, and the Elizabeth line, which all share some sections of track with Network Rail.
Further Network Rail strikes will take place on August 18 and 20.
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Workers at Chiltern Railways, GWR, LNER, London Overground, Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine, and West Midlands will also walk out on July 30.
Rail passengers are being urged to brace for more misery in the months ahead.
In July, millions of Brits were told to stay at home as strikes caused a week of commuter mayhem.
And Mr Lynch warned last week that chaos will continue unless the Government caves to union demands.
Asked on Sunday if Brits should expect “months more strikes and disruption,” he replied “That is likely to happen, because we’re not able to bridge the gap.
“But the Government may subtly change their position – they’ve done a lot of u-turns in the last period on a number of issues.
“So it’s up to them – they can subtly change it or they come to the table and make an announcement. I’m not bothered.”
FRESH RAIL MISERY
Network Rail says the RMT has walked away from a two-year, eight per cent pay deal with no compulsory redundancy guarantee.
Ministers are planning to push ahead with minimum service legislation which will ensure the public who rely on the railways are not cut off from work and vital appointments.
News of more strikes comes after a critical incident – unrelated to the walk-outs – was declared at Dover last weekend, with drivers describing waits of up to “30 hours” for ferries in chaotic scenes.
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Meanwhile, British Airways pilots are also threatening to leave their posts this summer. The action could see nearly all flights grounded.
Workers say they’ll walk out over a disagreement over wages after taking a salary cut of 20 per cent in 2020 to prevent pandemic-caused job losses.
