Tube bosses in last-ditch plea to RMT over strikes

Why we’ve all gone la-la for lemon PLUS Statement hats and the Soho street celebrating 15 years of style Mayor to appoint ‘crime victim czar’

TUBE chiefs today made a fresh appeal to union leaders to return to the negotiating table to avert major strike disruption next week in the long-running dispute over staff cuts.

The plea came after the RMT refused to attend talks at Acas, the conciliation service, on Friday. Instead, the union announced walkouts affecting services over three days from Sunday, which will close huge sections of the network next Monday morning.

Steve Griffiths, London Underground’s chief operating officer, said the threat of strike action was “completely unnecessary”.

He said talks were held on Friday with only the TSSA union in attendance “because the RMT refused to join us”. He added: “We urge the RMT to continue talking to us so that we can reach a solution.”

More than 3,000 station staff will walk out from 6pm this Sunday until 10am on Monday, February 6. A second walkout is due to take place from 10am on Tuesday, February 7 until 1am on Wednesday, February 8.

The union has warned of further strikes in March if agreement is not reached.

A 24-hour walkout about the dispute on January 8-9 caused major disruption across the Tube network, which is used by more than four million people a day.

Although mainline rail services are not affected, the threatened action is expected to again close interchange facilities at major terminals including Victoria, Waterloo, London Bridge and Paddington.

All sides remained deadlocked and next week’s strikes are currently set to go ahead after Transport for London made it clear that the ball was in the union’s court. A TfL spokesman said: “Following extensive talks with TSSA and the RMT throughout January, we have set out our proposal to end this dispute and we await their response.”

The TSSA, representing hundreds of ticket office staff, decide today whether to announce strikes and join the RMT walkouts.

The long-running dispute is over the axing of up to 900 staff — a figure not disputed by LU — and the closure of ticket offices under Boris Johnson’s regime when mayor.

The RMT has said the cuts would leave station control rooms — “the eyes and ears of the network” — unstaffed, leading to “a serious threat to passen- gers at a time of heightened safety and security alerts”. It says that stations are frequently closed because there are not enough staff available.

LU said it had begun taking on 200 extra staff and that, taking into account existing vacancies and natural turnover of employees, 600 staff will be recruited this year.

Mick Cash, the RMT leader, said the union “remains available for serious talks”.

TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said the union had been having talks with LU at Acas during the last two weeks.

He said: “Our union representatives meet today to discuss the outcome of those discussions and decide our next steps.” LONDON’S first Victims’ Commissioner is to be appointed to work with people who have suffered crime and to improve the process of justice.

Mayor Sadiq Khan today advertised the role, with the successful candidate working with the Metropolitan police, Crown Prosecution Service and Ministry of Justice. He said: “Crime can have a devastating and lasting impact on lives which is why I am putting the needs of victims at the heart of policing.

“The right support can make a huge difference in helping people navigate the justice system and recover from painful experiences, as well as driving down reoffending.”

‘Following extensive talks throughout January, we have set out our proposal and await their response’ TfL spokesman