London Bridge faces Tube walkout over sacking for ticket barrier row

A 24-HOUR strike at London Bridge Tube station is set to go ahead after bosses refused to reinstate a ticket barrier worker involved in a fracas with an alleged fare dodger.

The walkout next Monday by RMT members at London Bridge threatens major disruption at one of the capital’s busiest interchange stations.

Brian Woodhead, operations director for London Underground (LU), said: “The version of events described by the RMT union is simply untrue.

“CCTV footage from a number of different angles clearly shows a staff member displaying unacceptable con- duct when dealing with a member of the public.” LU insisted the sacked worker, with 10 years’ experience, will not be reinstated.

The RMT has described the sacking as “an appalling miscarriage of justice” which has “sent a message to fare dodgers and yobbos that staff can be treated as punch bags with impunity”. RMT members at London Bridge have been ordered not to book on for any shifts from 10pm on Sunday until the same time on Monday.

It has also ordered indefinite action short of a strike with staff ordered not to service ticket machines or challenge passengers who refuse to produce a valid ticket. The union has warned it will escalate the dispute across the Tube if its member is not reinstated.

Mr Woodhead said: “We have invited the general secretary of the union to see the (CCTV) footage himself but our invitation has not been accepted.” An RMT spokesman said: “We are well aware of the contents of the CCTV coverage and it doesn’t alter our case one bit.”