London
Underground


staff
in
various
grades
are
set
to
strike
between
tomorrow
and
11
January
in
the
continuing
dispute
with
Transport
for
London
over
job
conditions,
but
the
union
has
extended
a
last-minute
olive
branch
to
TfL
by
calling
for
‘unconditional
talks’
at
the
conciliation
service
ACAS.

The
RMT
said
it
had
been
invited
to
talks
with
TfL
earlier
this
week
after
London
Underground
workers
had
voted
in
favour
of
‘rolling
strike
action’
by
over
90
per
cent
against
a
‘below
inflation
pay
offer’.

The
union
is
also
protesting
about
what
it
says
is
the
creation
of
a
‘two-tier
workforce’,
and
is
calling
for
full
staff
travel
passes
to
be
restored.

General
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said
that
workers
‘were
not
going
to
accept
poor
offers
and
the
continual
undermining
of
conditions.’

He
continued:
‘The
refusal
of
TfL
to
restore
staff
travel
facilities
and
create
a
two-tier
workforce
is
also
unacceptable.

‘Our
members
have
made
it
clear
that
they
are
prepared
to
take
action
and
we
urge
TfL
to
enter
into
meaningful
conciliatory
talks
to
avert
disruption
in
the
capital.’

Unless
progress
is
made
at
ACAS,
engineering
train
drivers
are
due
to
walk
out
from
tomorrow
night,
RMT
members
in
LUL’s
network
controls
will
take
action
on
7
and
8
January,
staff
in
signalling
and
service
control
centres
will
take
action
on
9
and
11
January,
and
all
other
London
Underground
RMT
members
are
due
to
walk
out
next
week,
on
8
and
10
January.

Railnews
has
invited
TfL
to
comment.