Tube Strike: London Underground station staff vote for 24-hour strike over sacked colleague

The workers are protesting at the sacking of one of their colleagues who tackled a fare dodger who, union bosses claim, had attacked staff, including a pregnant woman

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Qasim Peracha-DNU

16:15, 20 APR 2017
Updated18:20, 21 APR 2017

Londoners using London Bridge Underground station between May 7 and 8 may face long delays or closures. (Image: (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images))

Workers on the London Underground have voted to hold a 24-hour walkout in protest at the sacking of a colleague who tackled a fare dodger.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) based at London Bridge and Waterloo will strike from 10pm on Sunday May 7 until 9.59pm on Monday May 8.

They will also begin "actions short of a strike" from 10pm on May 7 indefinitely, including not servicing ticket machines and not challenging passengers who fail to provide a valid ticket, oyster, bank card or permit for travel.

The dispute relates to an incident at London Bridge station in November, which resulted in one member of station staff being sacked and two being handed "final warnings".

RMT claim the fare-dodger assaulted three members of staff, pushing a pregnant colleague in the stomach, stealing a staff member's glasses and punching another twice.

London Underground (LU) has disputed the details of the incident.

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Brian Woodhead, Operations Director for LU, said: “We conducted a thorough investigation into this incident, including an extensive review of CCTV footage from the station.

“Our investigation clearly showed that no member of staff was assaulted, nor was the incident prompted by staff defending a colleague.

"We take a zero tolerance approach to violence against our staff but we also expect our employees to adhere to acceptable standards of conduct and behaviour when dealing with members of the public.

"In this case, those standards were not met. We urge the RMT to withdraw this unjustifiable action which will only result in needless disruption to Londoners.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “Our members have voted for action in support of their victimised colleagues at London Bridge and with LU making it absolutely clear they have no interest in the principles of natural justice we have no option at all but to move to a campaign of industrial action.

"The union executive will also continue to look at a programme of escalation in this critically important dispute.

“This is one of the most appalling abuses of the LU disciplinary procedure that RMT has ever come across.

"This was a shocking, violent incident and those that bore the brunt of it should have been supported and commended by the company.

"Instead they have been sacked or disciplined in what is the most appalling multiple miscarriage of justice.

"LU have flouted their own zero tolerance policy, their own duty of care to their staff and have sent out a message to fare dodgers and yobbos that staff can be treated as punch bags with impunity.

"That is an outrage that has enraged every single tube employee who risks their neck on the stations and platforms against a backdrop of a growing pattern of abuse and violence.

“London Underground should do the decent thing – reinstate our member, lift the disciplinary action and send out the message that fare-dodging and violence will not be tolerated and that staff in the front line will get the support and assistance that they need.”