'Pointless' Tube strike... so staff can strike again

Tube unions bosses have been accused of staging a 'pointless' strike simply so they could stage more industrial action.

The RMT ordered its train driver members to stop work from 9pm yesterday until 3am today - the first of four walkouts.

This caused disruption across the network, stranding passengers going home from clubs and theatres. But services were largely unaffected this morning with many commuters unaware there had been a strike.

The strange timing of the strike was to enable the RMT to comply with legislation requiring any union to begin industrial action within 28 days of
having announced it.

Had the union delayed last night's strike they would have fallen outside the deadline - prompting an immediate High Court challenge from London Underground to have the strikes declared illegal and preventing any more next week.

Commuter Sophie Ford, 32, a secretary from Colliers Wood, said: "I had heard it was going to happen but I wasn't sure exactly when it was going to be.

"My journey's been absolutely fine, just a normal day." It was a different picture last night with passengers such as student Sean Walton, 23, facing a £50 cab ride to get from Kensington to Richmond.

He said: "The strikes and reduced service are generally annoying. TfL strike too often."
Three more strikes starting next Monday, June 27 - and spread over part of every day next week - threaten more disruption for commuters and those attending Wimbledon.

The walkouts are in protest over the sacking of Northern line driver Arwyn Thomas for alleged abusive behaviour to his colleagues - a charge he denies. The RMT claims it is because he is a union activist.

An employment tribunal is due to rule on his dismissal next Monday - hours before the second wave of strikes which begin at 9pm that day.

RMT leader Bob Crow said today: "The RMT has achieved all its objectives in terms of last night's action. It is now down to LU to do what we have been calling for all along and that is to put this injustice right and agree with us a mechanism for getting Arwyn back to work in advance of the next phase of action."

Mike Brown, LU managing director, said: "This strike action has not achieved anything and I once again call on the RMT leadership calmly to await the outcome of the employment tribunal without any further strikes."