London’s Tube faces series of 24-hour strikes

THREE transport unions were last night poised to call a series of 24-hour strikes that could cripple services on the London Underground.

The strike dates are likely to be set today in a dispute involving more than 2,500 workers of Metronet, the Tube maintenance company which went into administration last month.

The dispute, involving the RMT, TSSA and Unite unions, is over jobs and conditions. Earlier this week the unions’ members voted overwhelmingly for strike action, but no dates were fixed in the hope that last-ditch talks could avert a stoppage. However, talks between the unions and the Metronet administrator broke up yesterday with no agreement reached.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “It was quite clear the administrator had no intention of giving us the guarantees we are seeking, and it appears inevitable that we will be setting a series of strike dates.”

TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty said: “The expressed views of our members leave no doubt on the strength of feeling on the outstanding matters from a group of employees who are not characterised by their militancy.”