Strike action to shut down the entire Tube was threatened today as unions prepared for a major battle over pay.
The RMT, the largest Tube union, has rejected as “derisory” a one-year 2.5 per cent increase and is planning a network-wide ballot for industrial action.
A four-year pay deal covering all staff has just come to an end and all the unions are preparing demands for another multi-year agreement. A spokesperson for Transport for London, the Tube’s parent company, said it believed its offer was “fair and affordable” and looked forward to discussions with the unions continuing.
But RMT leader Mick Cash said it had “wholly rejected” the deal. “As a result we will begin preparations for an industrial action ballot and the ball is firmly in London Underground’s court to come back with an improved offer,” he said.
Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA union, said a meeting on Monday will discuss the one-year offer — but warned that it was “nowhere good enough”. He added: “If it’s rejected our union will go into dispute with London Underground.” The four-year deal was agreed by TfL in 2015 with annual rises of RPI or more.
Tube Strike - In Pictures
South Western Railway passengers to and from Waterloo face disruption all this weekend across the network due to Network Rail engineering work. Trains to Twickenham tomorrow for the Bath Rugby-Bristol Bears game will be particularly busy.
