Commuters are set to face more transport misery in London on 21 June when a planned strike takes place on the Tube and the country’s railways.
Unite the union has announced its members at Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground will take part in industrial action on that date – the same day as a national walkout by another union.
Yesterday, the RMT said up to 50,000 of its members across Network Rail, 13 train operators and on the underground would strike on 21 June in the “biggest outbreak of industrial action in the UK since 1989”.
Further action by the RMT is planned on 23 and 25 June.
Unite said 1,000 of its members in London will take action over pay and warnings of plans to cut pensions.
But TfL insists no decisions or proposals have been made.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is not acceptable that the dedicated workers at TfL and London Underground are being told to pay the price of the pandemic with their pensions, pay cuts and threats to their jobs.”
Talks are set to be held between Network Rail and the RMT in the coming days and a contingency plan drawn up in a bid to avert the largest rail strike in more than three decades.
The strike action later this month threatens travel chaos for commuters and those heading to major events including the Glastonbury festival.
Read more: Which train lines and big events will be hit? Why the RMT has picked now for a fight over pay – Ian King analysis
The RMT has complained that railway staff, who worked throughout the pandemic, are facing job cuts, a pay freeze and an attack on employment conditions.
Network Rail is also drawing up contingency plans, with the strikes expected to cause disruption to services for six days, from the first walkout on 21 June to the day after the third strike.
Fewer than one in five trains are likely to run, and only between 7am and 7pm, probably only on main lines.
No direct talks are planned between the union and train operators, although the RMT said it is open to “meaningful negotiations” to try to resolve the dispute.
Among the events that could be affected are Test match cricket, gigs in London’s Hyde Park by Sir Elton John and The Rolling Stones and a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London.
Union plans to ‘shut down the railway system’
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have been treated appallingly and, despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry, with the support of the government, has failed to take their concerns seriously.
“We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1% and rising.
“Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.”
Read more: Which train lines and big events will be hit? Why the RMT has picked now for a fight over pay – Ian King analysis
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said the organisation is “doing everything we can” to avoid the strike action.
“There are two weeks until the first strike is planned. We will use this time to keep talking to our unions and, through compromise and common sense on both sides, we hope to find a solution and avoid the damage that strike action would cause all involved,” he said.
