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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Miriam Burrell

Tube strikes: RMT announces walkouts on London Underground from July 23

The RMT has announced six days of strike action on the London Underground from July 23 in a long-running dispute over pensions, job cuts and working conditions.

Strike action will affect different sections of the Tube between Sunday July 23 and Friday July 28, the union said on Thursday.

RMT has been in a long running dispute with Transport for London (TfL) and claimed 600 jobs are scheduled to be axed.

The job losses planned will affect every aspect of the Tube including stations and maintenance, leading to the likelihood of more unstaffed stations and a lowering of safety standards, RMT said.

There are also planned changes to Tube drivers’ working agreements and jobs.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This week of action will shut down the London Underground and show just how important the work of our members is.

“Plans by TfL to cut 600 jobs and attack our members pensions are simply unacceptable. We are aware that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has had the TfL budget cut.

“However, he needs to align himself with our union and his London Underground staff in pushing back against the Tory government, exposing their damaging agenda to a key part of London transport infrastructure.”

In May RMT members voted in favour of extending their mandate to continue taking strike action for further six months.

Industrial action has already resulted in six RMT strikes last year and the shutdown of the Tube on March 15 Budget Day this year, when Tube drivers belonging to Aslef also walked out.

Glynn Barton, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We are disappointed that the RMT has announced strike action on this range of issues that we have been attempting to discuss with them openly and cooperatively. We are urging the union to reconsider and engage with us to discuss the issues and seek a resolution.

“There are no current proposals to change pension arrangements and, although we are discussing with union colleagues a range of proposals to improve how London Underground operates, no employee will lose their job or be asked to work additional hours.

“We are trying to create a fairer, more efficient London Underground that works for our staff and for London. All stations would remain well staffed at all times and we believe that our proposals would give an even better and more reliable service to our customers both in terms of our stations and our train services.”

Further Tube strikes come as Aslef announced that train drivers will refuse to work overtime for a second week from July 17 to 22. The overtime ban already caused disruption to the first week of Wimbledon, Wireless Festival and for holidaymakers heading to Gatwick Airport last week.

Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan signalled that strikes could continue for “20 years” until a deal is reached.

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