Commuters face chaos as London Underground workers go on strike over pay

Thousands of London Underground workers have gone on a two-day strike in a dispute over jobs, pays, pensions, and working conditions.

The double strikes, consisting of more than 10,000 workers, are set to begin at one minute past midnight on both Tuesday and Thursday and end at one minute to midnight on both days.

The announcement comes three days after the government agreed to continue its bailout for Transport for London (TfL), while continuing efforts to secure its long-term funding.

In a statement on Monday, TfL warned that citizens may “expect severe disruption to all lines and stations throughout the day [and the] possibility of no London Underground services.”

"Londoners whose journeys rely on Tube connections are advised to work from home if they can, consider different modes and allow extra time for essential journeys,” the statement noted.

TfL also added that there might be delays and disruption in morning services the day after each walkout (Wednesday and Friday).

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The dispute pertains to plans by TfL to cut up to 600 station posts across the network, as well as concerns over pensions and working conditions.

The workers are also protesting against major staff cuts announced in December as part of a wider TfL plan to save money.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) confirmed on Friday that talks with arbitration service Acas had broken down.

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The strikes were announced in February, with RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch blaming “a financial crisis” at London Underground Limited, which he said was “deliberately engineered by the government.”

"Our members will be taking strike action next week because a financial crisis at London Underground Limited has been deliberately engineered by the government to drive a cuts' agenda which would savage jobs, services, safety and threaten their working conditions and‎ pensions,” he was quoted as saying last week.

He said the people “praised as heroes for carrying London through COVID-19 for nearly two years” are now left with “no option but to strike to defend their livelihoods”.

“Politicians need to wake up to the fact that transport staff will not pay the price for this cynically engineered crisis,” he added.

Andy Lord, TfL’s chief operating officer, said “no proposals have been tabled on pensions or terms and conditions, and nobody has or will lose their jobs as a result of the proposals we have set out.”

"I hope the RMT will get around the table with us, continue talks and call off this disruptive action, which will cause huge frustration for our customers and further financial damage to TfL and London's economy when we should be working together to rebuild following the pandemic."

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