Strike by Tube workers may mar London New Year revelries

Strike by Tube workers may mar London New Year revelries

	Published : Sat, 31 Dec 2005 10:15 By : David Simms Print this Story

LONDON: London will be without its Tube on New Year's eve as the representative union of London Underground is bracing for industrial action against a controversial transfer plan being implemented by the management.

The planned 24-hour strike, scheduled from noon on New Year's eve to noon on New Year's day, may create chaos in the city, which is all set for the New Year revelries, including the traditional mass celebrations in Trafalgar Square.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union said Friday a strike by 4,000 workers on New Year's eve will go ahead unless the company delays the plan to transfer staff.
While leaders of the RMT were confident that all the members will obey the strike call, London Underground sources hoped that some employees may disregard the call and work.

The union as well as the management said they were ready for talks until the last minute to avoid the strike, but the two sides could not even by late night agree on the preconditions for negotiations.

RMT's general secretary Bob Crow said he was ready for talks and suspend the strike if the management suspended the imposition of new rosters. The management offered to meet at the conciliation service Acas but refused to hold the introduction of new working arrangements.

The dispute involves an agreement over a year ago, which gave employees a 35-hour week. Crow said the union agreed that 200 employees would change their jobs as part of the deal, but claims management wants to "displace" more than 800. The union contents that the plans undermine the safety of employees and passengers.

Mike Brown, chief operating officer of the Tube system, said the union's safety fears were unfounded. He said he was not asking the RMT to suspend the strike, but wanted the representatives on a negotiation table.

Apart from the mass, the annual New Year parade in Central London on 1 January is a big event. Last year, an estimated 480,000 people witnessed the parade. The mayor had made elaborate plans for people to move in the city and he had announced travel on the Tube will be free between 11:45 p.m. New Year's eve and 4:30 a.m. New Year's day.