The
RMT


has
announced
further
24-hour
strikes
on
London
Underground
on
4
and
6
October,
as
its
dispute
continues
with
Transport
for
London
over
job
security
and
conditions.

The
union
fears
that
600
staff
at
stations
are
facing
the
loss
of
their
jobs
and
is
also
critical
of
what
it
describes
as
‘detrimental
working
conditions’.

It
also
alleges
that
the
staff
who
are
left
will
have
more
work
to
do,
sometimes
alone,
which
increases
the
risk
of
fatigue
and
jeopardises
safety.

The
effect
of
the
walkouts
is
not
yet
clear,
but
the
whole
system
could
be
disrupted.

The
union’s
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said:
‘Station
staff
have
had
enough
of
having
their
livelihoods
threatened
by
job
losses
and
attacks
on
their
terms
and
conditions.

‘Station
staff
have
a
vital
role
to
play
assisting
vulnerable
passengers
access
the
network
safely
and
ensuring
that
the
tube
is
a
safe
environment
for
passengers.

‘These
job
cuts
and
attacks
on
conditions
are
going
to
lead
to
more
unstaffed
stations,
temporary
closures
and
rising
passenger
anger.

‘TfL
has
had
its
budgets
slashed
but
the
savings
made
by
these
station
staff
cuts
will
be
negligible
and
will
lead
to
shortages
that
are
unacceptable.
We
call
on
Mayor
Sadiq
Khan
to
meet
us
urgently
to
discuss
this
matter.’

Transport
for
London
has
yet
to
comment.

Meanwhile,
the
Campaign
for
Better
Transport
has
launched
a
campaign
today
to
save
London’s
one
day
Travelcards,
which
are
set
to
be
withdrawn
next
year
in
a
bid
to
increase
Transport
for
London
revenue.
The
CBT
said
the
loss
of
the
Travelcards
would
increase
the
costs
of
travelling
around
the
capital
by
an
average
of
16
per
cent.

The
CBT’s
Norman
Baker
added:
‘At
a
time
when
we
should
be
doing
all
we
can
to
encourage
people
to
use
green
public
transport
to
access
London’s
shops
and
attractions,
this
move
is
going
in
entirely
the
wrong
direction.
Public
transport
works
best
when
you
can
use
one
ticket
for
your
whole
journey,
so
we
need
more,
not
less,
integrated
ticketing.’