London Tube Strike Settled

[Stevesan]

From the BBC UK:

 

More delays on Tube after strike

Passengers on London Underground have endured another morning of travel chaos despite a crippling three-day strike being suspended.

 

More than 2,000 members of the Rail, Maritime & Transport union (RMT) had walked out in a dispute linked to the collapse of maintenance firm Metronet.

But nine hours of talks with managers on Tuesday finally led the RMT to halt the strike that began on Monday.

Transport for London (TfL) warned services would remain disrupted.

Five lines have been re-opened fully and were running on Wednesday with some disruption.

The Jubilee and the Northern lines were unaffected by the strike.

However, three other lines, the Circle, East London and Hammersmith & City, remained suspended.

Two other lines, the Metropolitan and District were part suspended.

TfL commissioner Peter Hendy said: "At some stage during the day we will get everything running.

 

LATEST TRAVEL UPDATES

Bakerloo: Reopened

Central: Reopened

Victoria: Normal services

Piccadilly: Running as normal

Waterloo & City: No problems

Circle: Suspended

District: Partly suspended

East London: Suspended

Jubilee: Good service

Metropolitan: Part suspended

Northern: Running smoothly

Hammersmith & City: No service

 

 

 

"Some things we hope will start fairly soon but the suspension came so late last night that it will be impossible to start normally."

TfL said it had clarified assurances on jobs and pensions during Tuesday's talks.

Asked if anything new had been offered during the talks, Mr Hendy said: "There isn't anything fresh in terms of 'meat' to give them.

"They had... all of the assurances on Thursday and Friday."

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said they now had the assurances, they had been seeking, in writing from the employer.

He said the full pension scheme rescue was expected to be in place by Thursday.

"This means that our members will now actually have their pensions restored to them, which is rather different than promises from a man in an expensive suit," he said.

"We also now have written commitments that any subsequent proposals will be subject to proper discussions through the existing negotiating machinery."

'Wholly unjustified'

Mr Crow also praised his members for their "rock solid" strike despite "enormous pressure and hostile media".

The union will meet again on Friday before deciding whether to continue with a second 72-hour strike on Monday.

The strike closed two-thirds of the Tube network causing travel chaos for millions of passengers. Prime Minister Gordon Brown had earlier branded the industrial action "wholly unjustified" and urged the workers to return to their posts.

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

[Stevesan]

I'm personally pleased because I leave today for six nights in loverly London, with a prepurchased a seven day travel card!:p

 

After London I'll be aboard the Eurostar to Paris.

 

No rail strike, please.

[MAKEM]

I'm personally pleased because I leave today for six nights in loverly London, with a prepurchased a seven day travel card!:p

 

After London I'll be aboard the Eurostar to Paris.

 

No rail strike, please.

 

the underground is not the railways and they are still not certain about next week [10th sept]

[Stevesan]

the underground is not the railways and they are still not certain about next week [10th sept]

 

I, and millions of Londoners, fervently hope you're wrong about a repeat performance.

 

I'm quite aware the underground and railways are different. My mentioning a rail strike was intended as a facetious reference to my Eurostar trip and not wanting it canx'd.