LONDON faces another weekend of strike chaos after Tube drivers voted to walk out for the second time in a week.
Complaining that the return of the capital's night Tube service will destroy their "work / life balance", drivers on the Central and Victoria line will strike this evening from 7pm until 4.29am on Sunday.
London Underground bosses rejected calls from the RMT to hire dedicated Night Tube drivers to fill in the shifts during discussions this week.
They say the resumption of the Night Tube only means drivers will have to work four night shifts a year making a minimal impact on their work / life balance.
But the RMT Union said it's “become clear the drive from tube bosses is all about cutting costs regardless of the impact on staff and the services they operate”.
TfL said there was potential for “little or no service” on the Victoria and Central lines for the next three weekends.
Read our Tube Strike live blog for the latest news and updates…
- Joseph Gamp
RMT says it remains 'available for talks'
Mick Lynch said: "The RMT tube strike action tonight is rock solid again in all depots. The public will understand that the widespread impact on services is solely down to the management failure to respond positively to union proposals and to recognise and address the anger of their staff at the imposition of damaging and unacceptable working practices.
"This action was wholly avoidable if LU Management had engaged seriously with us in crucial talks at ACAS this week.
"Tonight's disruption is entirely down to tube bosses bulldozing through arrangements that abolished the Night Tube driver grade, lumping everyone into a central pool where they can be shunted about at will in a drive to cut costs.
"Sadiq Khan needs to face up to his responsibilities as well and pressure LU for a fair and just settlement. The Mayor and his officials need to recognise our determination to defend progressive and family friendly working practices. We remain available for talks. "
- Joseph Gamp
Continued…
The London Ambulance Service said it was called to reports of a person injured.
A spokesman added: "We sent an incident response officer, an advanced paramedic and two ambulance crews to the scene.
"We treated a woman at the scene and took her to a major trauma centre."
The Central line was suspended for around 45 minutes following the incident.
- Joseph Gamp
Woman taken to hospital after falling on tracks at Central London tube station
A woman has been taken to hospital after falling on to the tracks at a busy tube station in central London.
Transport for London (TFL) said an investigation has been launched after the incident occurred on the Central Line at Tottenham Court Road Tube station at just before 1am on Saturday.
Emergency services were called to the scene and the woman was taken to a major trauma centre, where she is believed to be in a "stable condition".
Nick Dent, director of customer operations for London Underground, said: "We are urgently investigating the incident that took place at Tottenham Court Road Tube station at around 0045 this morning where a customer fell onto tracks.
"We would like to reassure customers that the safety of everyone on our network is always our top priority and our station staff immediately attended the incident.
"The customer was subsequently taken to hospital by London Ambulance Services. A full investigation with all the relevant authorities into the circumstances of this incident will be carried out."
- Joseph Gamp
How much does the night tube cost?
Normal off-peak fairs apply across the service with day travelcards valid until 4.29am the day after purchase.
There is also staff on hand at all stations while the service is in operation to assist passengers.
Additionally TfL has said there is “an enhanced policing presence during the overnight services”, as more than 100 cops have been deployed to patrol the 144 stations that will stay open through the night each weekend.
City Hall believes the Night Tube provides a boost of over £70million a year to London’s economy, as well as supporting approximately 2,000 jobs.
- Joseph Gamp
Advice on travelling around London
Here are some tips from Transport for London (TfL):
- Allow extra time to complete your journey
- Consider walking or cycling, as other lines and services are likely to be busier as people seek alternative routes
- Follow our safer travel guidance throughout the strike
- Check status updates before you travel using our travel tools below
ncreased risk of close contact & spread of Covid
A GP raised concerns over Tube strike actions taking place while the Omicron variant has started to emerge.
Jamie Wallis told The Standard: “The strike will force lots of people from the Tube onto buses increasing the risk of close contact and the spread of Covid.
“As a GP, my first thought is always how this will affect my patients travelling to hospitals for appointments and treatment.
“Sitting on a packed bus where no one is wearing a mask isn’t where you want to be if you are having chemotherapy or are otherwise immunologically vulnerable.”
Why is there a strike?
The ongoing dispute is over the night shifts that drivers will be required to work to enable the restart of the Night Tube.
Since the start of the pandemic it has been suspended, but was due to resume overnight on Saturday for the first time.
The Night Tube was ditched in March 2020 so more trains could run during the day to increase social distancing, but following the murder of Sarah Everard, thousands signed a petition to bring it back amid concerns for women’s safety.
The RMT claim that the workloads being forced on Tube drivers would wreck their work-life balance by “bulldozing through additional night and weekend working”.
Night Tube was ditched (Continued…)
TfL hope that the Night Tube will still be able to run but have admitted there are likely to be fewer trains than they hoped.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This strike is about the ripping apart of popular and family friendly agreements that helped make the original Night Tube such a success.
“Instead the company want to cut costs and lump all drivers into a pool where they can be kicked from pillar to post at the behest of the management.
“We have made every effort in ACAS and direct talks since the off to resolve this dispute but it is clear that London Underground bosses are driven solely by the bottom line and have no interest whatsoever in the well-being of their staff or the service to passengers.
“This strike action, and its serious consequences in the run up to Christmas, was avoidable if the Tube management hadn’t axed dedicated Night Tube staff and perfectly workable arrangements in order to cut staffing numbers and costs.
“We warned months ago that slashing 200 Night Tube train driver positions would create a staffing nightmare and LU need to start facing up to that reality and soon.
“The union remains available for further talks even at this late stage.”
Night Tube was ditched
The ongoing dispute is over the night shifts that drivers will be required to work to enable the restart of the Night Tube.
Since the start of the pandemic it has been suspended, but was due to resume overnight on Saturday for the first time.
Thousands signed a petition in the wake of Sarah Everard’s kidnap, rape and murder by twisted Met cop Wayne Couzens.
The Night Tube was ditched in March 2020 so more trains could run during the day to increase social distancing at the height of the Covid pandemic.
- Joseph Gamp
Alternative ways to travel
Here are alternative ways to travel around London during the Tube strike:
Buses and roads are expected to be busier than usual and travellers are advised to allow more time for their journeys and to walk or cycle where possible.
Some boroughs offer electric scooters to rent, which is the only way to legally ride one in London.
These areas are Camden, City of London, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Westminster.
Renting an e-scooter typically costs between £3.25 and £3.40 for a 15-minute journey, according to TfL.
- Joseph Gamp
Chaos for Xmas shoppers
Christmas shoppers will struggle to commute with the strikes set to take place every weekend up until the big day.
Further action has been planned each weekend in the run-up to Christmas on the Central and Victoria lines.
There will also be another five -line 24-hour shutdown on the final Saturday before Christmas.
TfL have called for RMT to call off the strike and enter talks about the staffing requirements of the Night Tube.
- Joseph Gamp
The reason behind the night tube resuming
Thousands signed a petition in the wake of Sarah Everard’s kidnap, rape and murder by twisted Met cop Wayne Couzens, for the night tube to resume.
Many want the tube service to come back to create a safer way of travelling around London at night.
- Joseph Gamp
What should commuters do?
Commuters should check before they leave for their commute to see whether the lines are heavily affected.
Those travelling will be able to use the Official TFL website to check for closures and disruption.
- Joseph Gamp
How much does the night tube cost?
Normal off-peak fairs apply across the service with day travelcards valid until 4.29am the day after purchase.
There is also staff on hand at all stations while the service is in operation to assist passengers.
Additionally TfL has said there is “an enhanced policing presence during the overnight services”, as more than 100 cops have been deployed to patrol the 144 stations that will stay open through the night each weekend.
City Hall believes the Night Tube provides a boost of over £70million a year to London’s economy, as well as supporting approximately 2,000 jobs.
- Joseph Gamp
Serious consequences in the run-up to Christmas
Nick Dent, director of London Underground customer operations, said the strike by RMT was “avoidable” and it might have serious consequences as it comes ahead of Christmas.
Nick said the strike: “will threaten London’s recovery from the pandemic, despite no job losses and more flexibility and job certainty for drivers”.
“While every other union has agreed to these changes and our staff have been enjoying the benefits of the changes since August, we’re willing to work with the RMT and review the changes after Night Tube services have returned,” he added.
- Joseph Gamp
When did the Tube strike start?
The Tube strikes kicked off at 4am on Friday 26 November after a 24 hour walk out was organised.
The plan is that overnight action from 8.30pm to 4.30am each Friday and Saturday will continue every weekend until the run up to Christmas.
- Joseph Gamp
Are there any other future Tube strikes I need to worry about?
The strike action is due to continue in the same vein over the next weekend and until December 18.
There will also be another five-line 24-hour shutdown on the final Saturday before Christmas.
TfL has called for RMT to call off the strike and enter talks about the staffing requirements of the Night Tube.
- Joseph Gamp
Can I get fined for drinking alcohol on the Tube?
According to the Transport for London (TfL) conditions of carriage it is prohibited to carry opened containers of alcohol and to drink alcohol on TfL services.
Clause 2.6 of the TfL Conditions of Carriage says: “On our buses, trams and trains, in our bus and rail stations and on tram platforms, you must not: consume alcohol [or] be in possession of an open container of alcohol.”
Famous rule breakers include the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Diane Abbott, who was pictured in April 2019 swigging a £2 Marks & Spencer mojito on an overground train in North London.
On another occasion, a drunk man with no shoes or trousers was spotted sleeping whilst standing up on a London Tube.
Alcohol was banned on the London Underground on June 1, 2008, in one of Boris Johnson‘s first policy statements after he became Mayor of London.
- Joseph Gamp
Are there any other strikes planned?
Further action has been planned each weekend in the run-up to Christmas on the Central and Victoria lines.
There will also be another five -line 24-hour shutdown on the final Saturday before Christmas.
- Joseph Gamp
Planned strike dates
All train operator and instructor operators working on the Central and Victoria lines are instructed not to book on for any duty commencing:
between 20:30 on 3/12/21 and 04:29 on 4/12/21
between 20:30 on 4/12/21 and 04:29 on 5/12/21
between 20:30 on 10/12/21 and 04:29 on 11/12/21
between 20:30 on 11/12/21 and 04:29 on 12/12/21
between 20:30 on 17/12/21 and 04:29 on 18/12/21 - Joseph Gamp
Why did the night tube stop?
The Night Tube was ditched in March 2020 so more trains could run during the day to increase social distancing at the height of the Covid pandemic.
- Joseph Gamp
TfL: No drivers forced to switch to full or part-time hours
Transport for London said no drivers have been forced to switch to part or full-time work if they do not want to.
A statement said: “Since August when the changes came in, more than a quarter of our female Night Tube operators remain part-time, six remain on night shifts only and 11 have moved to part-time day shifts, which they couldn’t do before grade consolidation.
“The figure for men remaining part-time is 16%, with eight remaining on night shifts and 16 moving to part-time day shifts.
“This shows the appetite for full-time work from drivers previously on Night Tube contracts.”
- Joseph Gamp
Masks row breaks out between Tube passengers
A MASK row broke out between commuters on a train after one passenger refused to let others sit on a seat next to her.
Three women were locked in a brawl after one passenger, wearing a black hat and pink coat, refused to move her bag to let anyone else sit down on the Tube.
At one point during the bizarre altercation, a third woman forced her way into the seat despite the pushing and kicking from the pink-coat lady.
She then jumped up shouting about how she was exempt from wearing a mask – with the blonde woman responding: “I’m exempt as well.”
The row started when the second woman, wearing a black coat, tried to sit on the Tube seat.
But the seated passenger said: “What is wrong with you? Did you just come out of cave?”
The standing passenger wearing a black coat argued back saying: “Out of a cave?Are you actually going to put your hands on me over a seat on a train that I have paid for today?”
- Joseph Gamp
Explained: Why are drivers striking?
The union claims Transport for London has "ripped up" an agreement on drivers being allowed to choose whether to work on night services.
Further strikes are planned in the run-up to Christmas.
TfL said drivers will only work four nights a year, adding that new rosters have been agreed by other unions.
- Joseph Gamp
Another night of disruption ahead
The strikes are set to resume again this evening.
It will be the second night in a row that a walkout has been staged during the night tube service on the Victoria and Central Lines.
The disruption will last until early Sunday morning.
Source: Read Full Article
