RMT union bosses target Christmas: Night Tube drivers announce series of strikes across party season - before service even restarts
RMT union bosses have targeted Christmas parties with a series of strikes planned across the festive season.
Drivers on London Underground's Night Tube were today told not to go to work on a number of dates later this month in a dispute over staffing.
The strikes were planned even before the Night Tube fully reopened since coronavirus lockdowns saw the service temporarily scrapped.
The RMT today told drivers on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria not to work overnight from November 26 to November 27.
It said operators on the Central and Victoria lines should additionally not work the night shifts on November 27 and 28, December 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 17 and 18.
Meanwhile those on Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria were told not to turn up on the evenings of December 18 and 19.
The latest fallout between the RMT and Tube was blamed on what the union branded 'unacceptable and intolerable demands on staff'.
It said the reopening of the Night Tube will 'wreck work life balance by bulldozing through additional night and weekend working'.
The Central and Victoria lines - which were the two busiest services before lockdown, will reopen on November 27
General Secretary Mick Lynch said: 'No one has worked harder to ensure a safe environment for women on London Underground than the RMT.
'While Tube bosses have axed staff and left stations routinely unstaffed, with all of the obvious risks, we have campaigned relentlessly for the front line, physical presence of visible staff on stations and platforms.
'We are now being repaid by the imposition of working arrangements that would wreck the work-life balance of our members.
'All of this was avoidable if the Tube management hadn't axed dedicated Night Tube staff and perfectly workable arrangements in order to cut staffing numbers and costs. It's that action which has led us to make today's announcement.
'RMT supports the reintroduction of the Night Tube but we know full well that prior to its suspension during the pandemic it was a magnet for violent, abusive and anti-social behaviour.
'The Mayor and his officials cannot ignore that fact and the hard reality that it's RMT members who made it a success in the first place. They now feel totally betrayed.
'We warned months ago that slashing two hundred Night Tube Train Driver positions would create a staffing nightmare and LU need to start facing up to that reality. The union remains available for talks.'
Drivers on London Underground's Night Tube are to stage a series of strikes from later this month in a dispute over staffing, the RMT union announced
Last month it was announced the Night Tube will finally resume from the end of November after being suspended since March 2020 due to Covid.
Transport for London said services on the Central and Victoria lines will run through the night on Fridays and Saturdays from November 27.
Tens of thousands of people signed a petition calling for the Night Tube to resume to help protect women and girls after Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa were killed.
According to TfL, service levels on the two lines will be the same frequency as pre-pandemic. The Victoria line will be a ten minute service (six trains per hour).
The Central will be every 10 mins in the central section between White City and Leytonstone, and every 20 minutes extending from Leytonstone to Loughton and Leytonstone via Newbury Park to Hainault in the east, and from White City to Ealing Broadway in the west.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: 'The reason why I was so keen to be the first mayor in London's history to start the Night Tube in 2016, and to restart it now, after the Covid pause, is because I know how important this is to London's thriving night-time economy, to London's recovery and to the confidence and safety of everyone travelling home at night, particularly women and girls.
'I am determined to make our city as safe as possible for all Londoners.
'That's why I'm delighted to see the return of the Victoria and Central Night Tube lines next month, which will make a huge difference to people travelling around our city at night and making their way home, offering them an additional safe, reliable transport option.
'I will continue to work with TfL and the Government to do everything we can to bring back the full Night Tube network as soon as possible.'
Almost 140,000 people signed a petition urging the Mayor to resume the vital night time service.
Services on the Central and Victoria lines will run throughout the night on Fridays and Saturdays from November 27.
The service has been suspended since March 2020 due to the pandemic, and tens of thousands of people signed the petition calling for it to resume.
The Central and Victoria lines were the two busiest lines during the original Night Tube service.TfL said it was running as many services as possible 'while seeking to secure the long-term, sustainable Government funding needed to go on supporting London.
TfL said: 'The Night Tube offers a safe, low crime environment. More than 2,500 police and police community support officers and 500 TfL enforcement officers patrol London's transport network, while thousands of frontline transport staff support customers and an extensive CCTV network is in place across the Tube.'
Off-peak leisure travel has recovered from the pandemic more quickly than other types of journey.
Night Tube services are expected to resume on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines as soon as they have trained enough drivers and completed engineering and operational works.
Night Czar for London, Amy Lamé, said: 'I've been working closely with TfL and the industry to bring the Night Tube back as soon as possible, and its return will be hugely welcome news to the capital's night-time businesses which have been hit so hard by the pandemic.
'It's fantastic to see London getting its buzz back, and the Night Tube offers a safe, quick way to travel across the city at night, whether you're out enjoying the capital's world-leading culture and hospitality, or one of the 1.6 million people that regularly work at night making your way home.
'I look forward to seeing the Victoria and Central lines back in action next month, with the rest of the Night Tube to follow.'
The Night Tube is returning to service from the end of November with trains running on Friday and Saturday on the Victoria and Central Lines
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance, said: 'London's night-time economy plays a vital role in promoting London as a global destination and should be celebrated.
'We support TfL's objectives to keep service levels running at pre-pandemic levels and look forward to the full reopening of the Night Tube which will ensure that people will be incentivised to support London's night-time economy businesses.'
Conservative London Assembly Member Emma Best criticised the announcement claiming reopening two lines was not good enough.
She said: 'I've witnessed, heard stories, and experienced inappropriate sexual behaviour at night on London's streets, in taxis and at bus stops. Sadly, a lot of women have.
'While most bus journeys are uneventful and the vast majority of taxi drivers are lovely and professional, it's easy to see why many women and girls want a better-lit transport option at night.
'The Night Tube provides not only a safe route home but a safe haven for women and girls at night. And it's essential for shift workers and the vulnerable.
'So I welcome your announcement to open two lines but over 125,000 Londoners have signed a petition asking you to reopen the Night Tube in its entirety. Two out of five lines isn't good enough.'
Ms Best added: 'It's beggars belief that the Mayor will blame government funding only to not ask for cash to reopen the Night Tube in his wish list. I would urge the Mayor to listen to women and girls across London and make reopening the service his priority.'
The two brutal killings which led to calls to bring back the Night Tube
The kidnapping and murder of marketing executive Sarah Everard in south London in March made headlines around the world.
The 33-year-old was walking home from a friend's house one evening when a serving Metropolitan Police officer, Wayne Couzens, falsely arrested her, drove her to near Dover and killed her.
The shocking case reignited anger and fear among women regarding their safety in public, and trust in the police.
The brutal murder in March of 33-year-old marketing executive Sarah Everard as she walked home from a friend's house in south London reignited anger and fear among women regarding their safety in public, and trust in the police
Sabina Nessa, 28, was killed in Greenwich on September 18 as she walked to see a friend - a journey which should have only taken five minutes
The latter was made worse by photos of female protesters being manhandled by police at a vigil for Ms Everard, the holding of which had been disputed due to coronavirus restrictions.
Less than six months later, the safety of London's streets for women was in the headlines again when primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, 28, was killed in Greenwich.
Garage worker Koci Selamaj, 36, allegedly attacked 28-year-old Ms Nessa as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London, on her way to meet a friend on September 17.
It is claimed her attacker used a 2ft long weapon to strike her repeatedly before carrying her away unconscious.
The body of Ms Nessa, who taught a year one class at Rushey Green Primary School in Catford, was found nearly 24 hours later covered with leaves near a community centre in the park.
Selamaj, who is accused of Ms Nessa's murder was remanded in custody to reappear at the Old Bailey on December 16.
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