72 Hour London Tube Strike Announced

---

Maintenance workers plan walk out at 4pm next Tuesday

Workers who maintain and upgrade Tube lines on London Underground (LU) are to strike for 72 hours next week in a dispute over pensions and benefits.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), which represents around 1,000 staff on the Tube Lines contracts, said its members will walk out at 4pm on Tuesday until the same time on Friday.

The staff work on the Piccadilly, Northern and Jubilee lines and provide a number of services, including emergency repairs, across the entire network.

The row is over union demands for all Tube Lines staff to be allowed to join the Transport for London pension scheme and receive the same travel concessions as those who work for London Underground.

RMT officials said the strike will have a “widespread” impact on Tube services across the network.

A spokesman for London Mayor Boris Johnson said:
“It will come as no surprise to Londoners that, a week before the mayoral election, Ken Livingstone’s RMT friend Bob Crow is trying to hit hard-working Londoners and businesses.”

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “RMT members have delivered a massive mandate for action following a straightforward demand for parity with other Tube staff.  This dispute is about justice and about ensuring that all groups of staff under the umbrella of London Underground receive the same rights and benefits, and our members have no choice but to strike to secure those basic rights.

The dispute is over union demands for 1,000 Tube Lines staff to be allowed to get the same pensions and benefits as Transport for London staff.

April 17, 2012