Tube bosses have revealed plans for hundreds of job cuts, threatening London Underground workers.
Between 600 and 500 posts could be at risk. LU stated that the financial impact of the pandemic has forced a program of reform ‘urgently needed’.
News was attacked by unions, and Rail, Maritime and Transport unions confirmed plans for a strike.
RMT announced that 10,000 RMT members would be balloted for strikes. The result will be available early next year.
Transport Salaried Staffs Association described the cuts as “completely unacceptable” and pre-Christmas timing as “shameful”.
London Bride Underground Station is located on the Jubilee train. Further disruption is possible as the unions vow to strike in protest of job cuts at London Underground.
RMT stated that it would vote 10,000 members to strike, and the results will be known in early January. Strikes last week over a rota dispute saw intense disruption
London Underground’s Director of Customer Operations, Nick Dent stated that he has been in contact with the trade unions as well as staff to obtain their thoughts on making LU more financially viable and efficient, and ensuring they continue to provide excellent customer service, safety reliability, and security.
“We are now consulting our trade unions about proposals to improve the Customer Service Area of LU.
“We are committed to maintaining our customer service offering, which includes stations being staffed during trains’ operation.
“The safety and security for customers and our colleagues remains our highest priority. We will make sure that our staff are visible and accessible to customers in any circumstance. This includes offering an on-demand Turn Up and Go service, which assists disabled customers.
Changes will be monitored closely to make sure that customer service standards and safety are maintained. These discussions are in an early stage. We will keep working with our colleagues from the trade union and employees as we develop new ideas.
Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said that a Financial Crisis at Transport for London was deliberately designed by the Government in order to create a cut agenda, which would decimate jobs, safety, and threaten our members’ working conditions, as well as their pensions.
“Today, we saw the first salvo in an all-out attack on 600 safety critical positions with 600 jobs on block. This was mainly among our station members.
“The polls open on Monday, and we’ll be campaigning to get a huge yes vote. It is time for politicians to realize that the transport workers will not be responsible for the cynically orchestrated crisis. To counter this, we are coordinating a campaign of resistance together with members from other unions affected by this threat.
Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), referred to the cuts as ‘completely unacceptable’, and called pre-Christmas timings’shameful.
Lorraine Ward is the union’s organizing director. She stated that while we need to get more people on public transport, cutting staff at stations will only make it worse.
“Staff already have concerns about their futures, and it is shameful that London Underground managed to sneak this information out only weeks before Christmas.
TSSA will oppose these job cuts, and fight for the safety of our passengers and members. TfL and London Underground job cuts are absolutely unacceptable to us.
Manuel Cortes, general secretary of TSSA, said: “The Tories should stop playing political foot with public transport in the capital.”
“Government must give – just as it is for large cities around the globe – to the Mayor the money he requires to maintain services and ensure safe staffing at all stations.
Millions faced chaos last week as major rail lines were reduced or stopped entirely by RMT union members who began a 24-hour strike over staff rotas changes that would have resulted in the Night Tube being restarted.
Talks between Transport for London (TfL), union chiefs and the Transport for London (TfL), ended in a stalemate that led to walkouts.
TfL warns that these lines will be disrupted starting at 7pm every weekend, a significant blow to December revellers.
After dedicated night workers were fired, the union stated that their members will be asked to take on both day and night shifts.
The Victoria, Central, Northern, Piccadilly and Jubilee lines were brought to a standstill at 4.30am, causing further disruption for the Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.
In May, it was announced that Transport for London (TfL) secured another £65million bailout to keep Underground, bus and train services running for another 10 days.
The Government provided TfL £3billion in emergency funding during the pandemic as passenger numbers on Tubes and buses in London collapsed last year, decimating the operator’s finances.