London Underground Drivers to Hold 24-Hour Strike Over Forced Staff Moves

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The London Underground train drivers will carry out a new 24-hour strike starting on Tuesday night, against the forced moves of staff between the service's lines, the General Secretary of the UK National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) said in a statement.

"RMT negotiators have made strenuous efforts to resolve this dispute but the door has been slammed in our faces. The action and goes ahead tonight and the impact will be severe and widespread and the blame for that lies firmly at the door of an intransigent LU management that refuses to see sense… The action starting tonight is on and RMT remains available for serious talks but is down to the company to show that they are prepared to listen and engage with our negotiating team," RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said, as quoted in the statement.

The strike is to last from 21:00 GMT on Tuesday until 20:59 GMT on Wednesday.

According to the statement, London Underground management "failed to take the talks process seriously… No further talks are currently planned."

He noted that the strike would be staged in response to London Underground Limited (LUL) refusing to reconsider its decision to carry out staff displacements. The talks between RMT and LUL on the issue were held twice in January. As a result, LUL wrote a letter to RMT stating the company would proceed with the staff moves.

Drivers on several London Underground lines held a strike in January over the issue.

In December 2016, staff absences or shortages resulted in London Underground stations being closed at daytime at least 80 times.