London Underground staff threaten strike over 800 planned job cuts

London Underground bosses face further strikes over job cuts, the RMT union said yesterday.

Some 10,000 Tube workers represented by the union will be balloted over industrial action in the coming weeks after the firm refused to revoke plans to cut 800 station jobs – which unions say will put passenger safety at risk, the Times has reported.

RMT had given London Underground until 5pm last Thursday to withdraw the cuts, but yesterday revealed it had “no option” but to go ahead with the strike ballot.

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Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: “We have already warned that the cuts which are being planned by Transport for London will turn Tube stations into a muggers’ paradise, and we now have concrete evidence that the company are speeding up the process and are already leaving stations unstaffed, or with just one member of staff, without any consultation.”

Richard Parry, director of London Underground, said: “The changes we are proposing are vital to ensure we can deliver a safer, more frequent Tube service in future. We are committed to customer service and to protecting London Underground’s excellent and improving safety record.”

The news comes as Network Rail bosses are today set to seek an injunction against next week’s planned four-day walkout over job cuts and changes to working patterns.