Subscribe to RSSOyster Cards Trigger London Strike
Thousands of London commuters have faced another London tube strike with all lines affected.
It was the 4th 24-hour strike over job cuts in London Underground ticket offices - cuts because so many people are using Oyster cards, ticket sellers are not needed.
This commuter is angry about the strike:
Unions say they won’t strike again over Christmas but may step up action from the New Year, with strikes lasting several days.
Sub-zero snowy temperatures made matters worse for commuters.
The underground is used by around 3 million people a day.
5 Comments
I can see this potentially being an issue with the on board train staff once we get integrated ticketing. The reality is the same as any other business, the less staff needed to run the system the more profitable or in this case the less subsides are needed which is a good thing.
Bob Crow and his cronies are **** of the highest order
I normally sympathise with unions, but integrated ticketing and smart cards aren’t about cost-cutting, but about greater efficiency of the transport system and we much need that. So yes, some staff will clearly lose out, but in the balance of effects, it probably can’t be any other way.
Also, in the mid-term, won’t we have so many trains running that on-board staff will be more needed, even if less per train?
How unusual for the Tube workers to go on strike!
My time in London, 4 and a bit years, late 90′s, I’m sure they striked every year at least 3-4 times
They had two main unions on the Tube, from memory about a 60-40 split of members, so if one went on strike things still manage to move, just!!!
I remember both on strike and management drove 4 tubes on the Piccadilly line, Heathrow to Hammersmith, that was a treat
No sympathy for striking PT workers, non collection of revenue will always hurt. I’m sure there are other ways to get your point across without making the public walk
Paul, I disagree - as soon as you argue that GENERALLY a union whose members directly serve the public shouldn’t strike / shouldn’t be allowed to strike you are infringing on their rights, and arguing that these often badly paid people should just bear it, rather than use the strongest tool they have.
You can’t have it that easy. A specific union may be too willing to go on strike, and even hurt its case by doing it, but arguing a general case just means you side with the employers, in effect if not by intention.
It used to be that certain professions were forbidden from striking. Those professions were, however, compensated for by relatively high wages and by being unable to be made redundant (state bureaucrats, mostly - which once formed the core of services such as tube staff). Today, such jobs don’t enjoy such security or advantages, so why should we expect the staff to feel extra loyalty?