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LONDON’S Tube will grind to a halt next month after train drivers voted overwhelmingly for strike action over bosses’ plans to impose all-night and all-weekend working.
The vote by Aslef members is a hammer blow to London Mayor Boris Johnson’s plan to force all-night working on Underground staff.
Members of Aslef, which represents four in five of the drivers, will walk out from 9.30pm on July 8 for 24 hours. Further strike dates are expected to be announced.
Their vote in favour of industrial action was 97 per cent in a turnout of 81 per cent, smashing the government’s new strike thresholds.
And it is just the first ballot result from one of four Tube unions. Also balloting on strike action over the same issue are rail union RMT, white-collar staff union TSSA and general union Unite. Their results are expected on June 30.
Support for strike action by Aslef drivers reflects the level of anger felt by Tube workers over Transport for London bosses’ attempts to impose the new shifts and rosters without negotiation.
The ballot was triggered when management ended direct talks with the unions and started the process to impose new rosters. Staff have been told that unless they agree to the rosters they will get no pay increase this year.
Aslef’s district organiser Finn Brennan said: “There is a window of opportunity for London Underground managers to avoid a summer of disruption by seriously engaging with us to find a solution. They need to withdraw the threat to impose new rosters and make a realistic offer on pay and conditions.
“We are always prepared to talk, but they have to start listening to this very clear message from their staff.
“Our members are entitled to a family life and to some sort of work-life balance. We aren’t opposed to all-night services but we want them introduced in a fair and sensible way which rewards staff for their hard work and the contribution they make to the success of the London Underground.”
The last time Aslef took strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions on the Tube was in 2002.
