The leader of a transport workers union praised his members today (Monday, June 6) after their mass strike caused chaos on the Tube network.
All Tube lines had massive delays or were closed altogether, or in some sections, after 4,000 RMT union members walked out on strike over job and pension dispute with Transport for London (TfL).
Among lines that usually go through Southwark, as of Monday afternoon:
- The Northern line was only running between Camden Town and High Barnet, and Edgware and between Finchley Central and Mill Hill East, every six-eight minutes with some stations closed, and between Morden and Kennington roughly every seven minutes with some stations closed. There was no service between Kennington and Camden. Town.
- The Jubilee line was only running between Baker Street and Stanmore and between Stratford and Canning Town, approximately every ten minutes with some stations closed. There was no service on the rest of the line.
- The Bakerloo line Service was only running between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone. There was no service on the rest of the line.
The Victoria and Waterloo and City lines were both closed, while large parts of the rest of the network were partially suspended.
Huge queues for buses were seen in the morning outside central London stations like Waterloo with commuters being brought back down to earth after the Jubilee weekend.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “I congratulate our station grade and revenue control staff members on London Underground for taking strike action in defence of their pensions and jobs.
“The effectiveness and industrial power of these members cannot be underestimated.
“TfL, London Underground Limited and the mayor of London have had ample opportunity to negotiate with the union properly to avert this strike action today.
“Their intransigence and stubbornness have left RMT members no choice but to act decisively.”
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Transport for London (TfL) has previously said it would axe 500-600 positions as part of efforts to shore up its finances.
TfL said it was “committed to protecting as many jobs as possible for people who work here today” and that it would cut jobs by not replacing people who left or retired. Some 250 of the job losses will be customer service positions.
London Underground boss Andy Lord said: “This strike is particularly frustrating as no changes have been proposed to pensions and nobody has or will lose their job as a result of the proposals we have set out.”
The government also condemned the strike. A spokesperson for Boris Johnson said: “This sort of action is deeply disappointing and not what the public want to see, not what we want to see for businesses still trying to recover post-pandemic, people’s lives being disrupted in London.
“Obviously industrial relations at TfL are a matter for TfL and the mayor but it’s clear that under the current funding settlement TfL must take all reasonable steps to avoid industrial action.”
