Unions vote for four days of Tube strikes in protest at plans to close all 260 ticket offices

London faces the first major walkout of tube workers for four years after they voted for strike action over controversial plans to close ticket offices.

Some 8,300 members of the RMT rail union were balloted including station staff and train operators and 77% voted for walkouts on a turnout of 41%.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) will also vote in the coming weeks on a campaign of action in protest at the closure of all 260 Tube ticket offices.

Union leaders are furious that London Mayor Boris Johnson pledged to keep all ticket offices open, but the top Tory has now broken his election promise.

They fear nearly 950 jobs will be lost.

Last night the RMT said staff will walk out for 48 hours from noon on both February 4 and February 11, threatening travel chaos for workers and visitors to the capital.

Station staff will stop work from noon on both days, while drivers will not book on for any shifts between the hours of the action.

In 2010 the RMT staged four one-day strikes in protest at the reduction in the opening hours of ticket offices.

Bob Crow, RMT leader, said: “RMT members on London Underground have voted by a massive majority for both strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute which is wholly about cash-led cuts plans that would see the axing of nearly 1,000 safety-critical jobs and the closure of ticket offices.

“This comes at a time when the Tube network is under growing pressure from customer demand and needs more staff and not less to ensure safe and efficient operation.

“Not only are 1,000 posts on the line but staff remaining are going to be forced through the humiliating and degrading experience of re-applying for their own jobs - the same staff who have been hailed as heroes when the Tube has faced emergency situations.

“That is a kick in the teeth for the loyal and experienced Tube workforce who have kept services running safely and efficiently under constant pressure from weight of demand and a creaking and under-resourced infrastructure.

“These cuts would hit the vulnerable, the elderly, those with disabilities and women the hardest. De-staffing stations, with supervisors running operations three stops down the line on an iPad would turn the Tube system into a criminals’ paradise where those with violence and robbery on their minds are given a clear run.

“RMT will work with our sister unions and passenger groups to ensure that Tube users understand just what’s at stake as Boris Johnson turns his opportunist election pledges on their head.”

And Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA rail uniion, blamed the ballot on the “reckless” behaviour of Mr Johnson, who he said was refusing to meet the unions over their genuine fears for safety and security.

He said: “It was the mayor who came into office in 2008 with a firm pledge to keep open every ticket office on the grounds of keeping passengers safe and secure at all times.

“Now he wants to scrap the lot, claiming there will be no problems because he will keep staff on station platforms - those that keep their jobs, that is.”

Transport for London said sales at ticket offices accounted for only around 3% of all journeys, after announcing that staff would be switched to station concourses.

London Underground said the changes would be made without compulsory redundancies. hil Hufton, LU’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Our customers and staff are at the heart of our vision for the future of the Tube.”



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tube-strike-unions-vote-four-3010046#ixzz2q3TVgJTm
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

    ...I can understand what the staff must be going through, i did that job for a couple of years after leaving the bank...Very rewarding, and paid very well, albeit, the unsocial hours...I think that the unsocial hours appealed to me at the time, as well as the increase in pay....It meant that there were times that i could go raving, and not having to get up early in the morning, and the best and cheapest club nights were always during the week!   

....Further Tory chaos!     

At some stations, the ticket staff are the only ones that are on duty, and will be aware, through CCTV etc....Of any problems that might go on.

....I think that, the most annoying part of that job...Was the tap, tap, tap...With some idiot at the excess fare window, wanting to be served before those at the main window..Leave them for as long as possible!   

Did you ever take disco biscuits when you went raving Mr Catman?

BigAndy9 wrote:Did you ever take disco biscuits when you went raving Mr Catman?

I think the majority of people did.