Downing Street condemns strike action on London Underground
Downing Street has condemned what it has described as 'deeply disappointing' strike action on the London Underground.
"This sort of action is deeply disappointing and not what the public want to see, not what we want to see for businesses still trying to recover post-pandemic, people's lives being disrupted in London," the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.
"Obviously industrial relations at TfL (Transport for London) are a matter for TfL and the mayor but it's clear that under the current funding settlement TfL must take all reasonable steps to avoid industrial action."
Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union who work at London stations have walked out in a dispute over jobs and pensions.
At Paddington station at about 7.40am, construction worker Miguel Basantes, 54, said he needed to get to work in Hampstead, adding: "It is chaos.
"In Liverpool Street there was crowds of people and I was waiting for 20 or 30 minutes.
"I don't know how to get to work."
Indian restaurant worker Kundan Darla, 25, said: "I think it is bad, I am too late for work."
Location technology firm TomTom said the level of road congestion was 71% at 8am, up from 64% a fortnight earlier.
The figures represent the proportion of additional time required for journeys compared with free-flow conditions.
Transport for London (TfL) said no plans have been tabled on pensions or terms and conditions, and nobody will lose their jobs because of the proposals it has set out.
As part of previous funding agreements, the Government has required TfL to work towards achieving financial sustainability on its operations by April 2023.
TfL has proposed not recruiting into around 500 to 600 posts as they become vacant.
The RMT said that, under current proposals, working agreements will be torn up and the looming threat to pensions remains in place.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: "We are demanding a direct face-to-face meeting with mayor Sadiq Khan to sort this mess out.
"There's no point in our union continuing to sit opposite management representatives who have neither the inclination nor the authority to negotiate a settlement, when the power lies with the mayor."
RMT members on the Tube are also taking action short of a strike, meaning station staff might not work overtime, until Sunday July 10, which may result in short notice station closures.
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