The London Tube was put in disarray Wednesday with several unions shutting down the subway system in retaliation for failed labor negotiations.
“The strike will cause major disruption to the travelling public for which we would like to apologise in advance,” a spokesman for the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) said in a statement provided to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
The TSSA, along with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Unite started the strike after they were unable to come to terms with subway officials. The Transport for London and city officials have proposed running subway services 24 hours a day but the unions are concerned about safety and the bonus pay of night shift workers.
“But the responsibility for that lies squarely with management who delayed making us an offer for five months and then tried to bounce us into an accepting a ‘take it or leave’ deal with less than 48 hours to go before the start of the walkout,” the TSSA continued.
“We want detailed discussions on a safe and properly staffed Night Tube service. This cannot be imposed top down,” the union concluded. “We would be willing to start those talks on Friday once this dispute is over.”
The strike comes a day after the 10th anniversary of the London bombings. On July 7, 2005 Islamic extremist set off several bombs throughout the subway system and on a double-decker bus in Tavistock Square. The bombings became known as one of the worst terrorist attacks in English history.
A spokesman for TSSA assured TheDCNF that the day chosen for the strike had nothing to do with the attacks. Rather the strike was to coincide with Budget Day, one of the biggest days in the English political calendar.
Steve Griffiths, chief operating officer for the subway, warns the strike could go into Thursday.
“This strike is completely unnecessary,” Griffiths said in a statement provided to TheDCNF. “No-one is being asked to work more hours than they do now when we bring in the Night Tube.”
“We have offered a very fair and competitive package,” Griffiths continued. “The unions have refused to put this new offer to their members, which is extraordinary given that it is a very different offer to the one over which they were balloted.”
Bloomberg Business reports that the strike is the latest in a series of disruptions over the past 18 months. Last year the subway also dealt with a 48-hour walkout.
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