More Tube strikes coming? Another union to ballot London Underground staff

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Londoners on the Central line at Bank station can now benefit from 4G and 5G obile coverage as part of a joint project to bring mobile coverage to the entire Tube network.
Londoners on the Central line at Bank station can now benefit from 4G and 5G obile coverage as part of a joint project to bring mobile coverage to the entire Tube network.

Another union has threatened to prolong strike misery balloting its members for fresh walk-outs in a few weeks time, over pay.

The TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association), which says it is the biggest union for Transport for London workers, will put a vote to its members for industrial action, after rejecting a new pay offer.  

It said the deal on offer following months of talks was a pay rise of just five per cent and a plan to freeze pay bands and salary ranges.

This comes as London braces for a week of London Underground strikes, starting today.

Workers begin seven days of industrial action, with members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, representing around 10,000 TfL staff, set to walk out between January 5 and 12 as part of an ongoing feud with the operator, which began in March last year.

It comes after the RMT rejected a proposed pay increase of five per cent from TfL in December, joining a string of major unions that represent workers across the London Underground system.

The Unite union are looking for a pay rise of 6.1 per cent, while the TSSA has now rejected the five per cent offer.

Responding to the offer of a below-inflation pay rise offer, TSSA general secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, said: “Our members on London Underground are deeply unhappy at this sub-standard and simply unrealistic offer.  

“We will now move to a ballot for industrial action, raising the very real prospect of a crippling strike on the Tube. If this is to be avoided London Underground must come back to the table with an offer which takes account of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.”

The TSSA general secretary added: “The offer, as it stands, really amounts to a pay cut for our members who do so much to keep London moving every day of the year.  

“It fails to address the fact inflation has been sky high in recent times and other components of the proposed deal, relating to salary bands, are unacceptable.”

“Our door is always open for further talks but it’s time for London Underground to get real,” she said.

When are the strikes taking place?

Different RMT workers, which include engineers and signalling staff, will leave their posts on separate days throughout the seven-day period.

The most significant disruption will occur when all RMT staff strike on the 8th and 10th.

TfL warned yesterday there will be little or no service between the evening of Sunday 7 and the morning of Friday 12. It said passengers using the London Underground should “only travel if their journey is essential” on those days.

  • Friday 5 and Saturday 6 January: 24 hours of industrial action from engineers and maintenance workers, beginning at 6pm on Friday evening.
  • Sunday 7 and Monday 8 January: Strikes from RMT members in London Underground Limited (LUL)’s network control functions on Sunday, joined by walkouts from all RMT union employees on Monday.
  • Tuesday 9 January: Strikes from RMT workers in the Tube’s signalling and service control functions.
  • Wednesday 10 January: All RMT union employees will walk out.
  • Thursday 11 January: Strikes from RMT workers in the Tube’s signalling and service control functions.