Londoners struggle to work as underground rail staff strike

Members of the RMT on First Great Western are also on strike today, which means that intercity and commuter services to Paddington have been badly hit as well.

The strike is scheduled to last until 6.30pm but Transport for London (TfL) says it could be Friday morning until things are back to normal.

Members of the ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite unions are striking over the pay settlement offered in advance of the 24-hour Night Tube service which starts in September.

Fortunately, London Overground, DLR (Docklands Light Railway), Transport for London (TfL) Rail and tram services are unaffected, but they are much busier than usual.

London Underground workers on strike at Farringdon station declined to comment on how the afternoon had progressed and if there were any major problems. It is also totally unnecessary.

“No secret backroom deals that divide the Tube workers-we’re all out together”. Strongly supported by customers and businesses alike, it is the mark of a modern and progressive world capital.

Sura Yousif tweeted: “What about doctors, work day night with 28 days annual leave!” In fact, no-one is being asked to work any more hours and most staff will not be affected at all.

It’s true that various kinds of automated trains exist in many cities – including London – but usually still require some kind of operator.

“We want to reward our staff for its delivery and have been open and transparent in our negotiations with the trade unions – but unfortunately they have failed to engage”.

Transport for London (TfL) are advising: “If the strike goes ahead, there will be no Tube service from late afternoon on Wednesday 8 July and no Tube service at all on Thursday 9 July“.

This offer was rejected by unions on Wednesday.

Finn Brennan, the district organizer of Aslef, accused the managers of playing “foolish games of brinkmanship”.

“The action is on and RMT will be mobilising picket lines and effective action with our sister unions and there are no further talks planned at this stage”.

“We are ready and willing to be at Acas tomorrow morning to sort this out”.

“However, where the employee can not get to work and the business has been forced to close, the employer should generally maintain full payment of the employee because he is unable to provide work for that day, unless any contractual lay-off provisions are invoked”.

Just make sure you have a newspaper, music, book or some other form of entertainment and a drink or snack with you to keep you occupied and stem that commuter rage.

Prime Minister David Cameron’s spokeswoman on Wednesday called the strike “unacceptable and unjustified”, while London Mayor Boris Johnson said it was “politically motivated”. But they still went on strike due to the “inhumane” working conditions of working through the night.

“We have got to get on with the night Tube”.

In the post, which has been shared nearly 2,000 times by friends and supporters, he added: “I have a family, I would like to see them at weekends, shift work already takes a lot of that away”.