Tube strike still on track as talks continue

London’s tube strike is still scheduled to go ahead this evening (Tuesday) unless last-minute talks involving conciliation service Acas manage to avert industrial action.

Negotiations collapsed last night between the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and London Underground to end the dispute over pay, jobs and disciplinary issues. Representatives from RMT and London Underground, owned by Transport for London (TfL), have been locked in new talks with Acas since this morning, but so far the strike – due to start tonight at 7pm and last 48 hours – has not been called off.

Police and emergency services have prepared for the strike to go ahead as planned. London mayor Boris Johnson said the city had put on extra buses and was promoting taxi-sharing to help commuters get to work.

The RMT has accused London Underground of refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies that would put 3,000 jobs at risk, and described a five-year pay offer made by the organisation as “unacceptable”. The RMT also alleged that members were being bullied, harassed and victimised, and called for the reinstatement of a sacked driver.

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Tube drivers on the Victoria line staged a 24-hour strike earlier last month in protest against the failure of London Underground to install safety equipment on tube trains to stop doors opening on the wrong side of the train when it arrives at a station.

RMT represents more than 10,000 members across London Underground and TfL.