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| Tube network crippled by strike | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A strike by maintenance workers on London Underground (LU) has stopped all trains on nine lines. | A strike by maintenance workers on London Underground (LU) has stopped all trains on nine lines. |
| The RMT union started a 72-hour strike at 1800 BST, in a row over pensions and jobs after the collapse of Metronet. | The RMT union started a 72-hour strike at 1800 BST, in a row over pensions and jobs after the collapse of Metronet. |
| London Underground said trains were being kept in depots during the strike and services might not return to normal until Friday morning. | London Underground said trains were being kept in depots during the strike and services might not return to normal until Friday morning. |
| Only the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines are operating, because they are maintained by another firm. | Only the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines are operating, because they are maintained by another firm. |
| Picket lines were mounted outside Tube depots and large queues have started to build up at bus stops as workers tried to get home. | |
| Another 72-hour stoppage is planned for next Monday. | Another 72-hour stoppage is planned for next Monday. |
| AFFECTED LINES BakerlooCentralVictoriaCircleDistrictEast LondonHammersmith & CityMetropolitanWaterloo & City Latest London travel news | AFFECTED LINES BakerlooCentralVictoriaCircleDistrictEast LondonHammersmith & CityMetropolitanWaterloo & City Latest London travel news |
| On Monday, Unite and the TSSA said they would not go on strike after being given assurances. | On Monday, Unite and the TSSA said they would not go on strike after being given assurances. |
| But the TSSA said its 360 members would take part in the second planned 72-hour strike, if a matter concerning pensions was not resolved. | But the TSSA said its 360 members would take part in the second planned 72-hour strike, if a matter concerning pensions was not resolved. |
| The unions have been seeking guarantees there will be no job losses, forced transfers or cuts in pensions as a result of Metronet's collapse in July, when it went into administration. | The unions have been seeking guarantees there will be no job losses, forced transfers or cuts in pensions as a result of Metronet's collapse in July, when it went into administration. |
| RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "The efforts the mayor and Transport for London have put in to try to broker a deal have been welcome. | |
| "But the problem for all of us remains that Metronet and its administrator are the employer and the qualified assurances they have given cover only the period of administration." | |
| The only result will be that the lives of millions of Londoners are disrupted and RMT members will lose hundreds of pounds LU's Tim O'Toole TfL letter to Bob Crow | The only result will be that the lives of millions of Londoners are disrupted and RMT members will lose hundreds of pounds LU's Tim O'Toole TfL letter to Bob Crow |
| Transport for London (TfL) said all three Tube unions had received all the assurances they were seeking and has released a letter it sent to Mr Crow which outlines those promises. | Transport for London (TfL) said all three Tube unions had received all the assurances they were seeking and has released a letter it sent to Mr Crow which outlines those promises. |
| Tim O'Toole, LU's managing director, accused the RMT of ignoring these assurances and organising a three-day strike which "had no purpose". | Tim O'Toole, LU's managing director, accused the RMT of ignoring these assurances and organising a three-day strike which "had no purpose". |
| "RMT leaders have claimed that they have not received the assurances they requested from Metronet and the administrator regarding jobs, transfers and pensions," he said. | "RMT leaders have claimed that they have not received the assurances they requested from Metronet and the administrator regarding jobs, transfers and pensions," he said. |
| "This is patently not true. | "This is patently not true. |
| "The only result will be that the lives of millions of Londoners are disrupted and RMT members will lose hundreds of pounds." | "The only result will be that the lives of millions of Londoners are disrupted and RMT members will lose hundreds of pounds." |
| Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said on Monday night that the strike was one of the most "purposeless" ever called. | Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said on Monday night that the strike was one of the most "purposeless" ever called. |
| Striking RMT members will lobby the Department for Transport on Tuesday as part of the union's campaign for Tube maintenance work to be brought back in house. | Striking RMT members will lobby the Department for Transport on Tuesday as part of the union's campaign for Tube maintenance work to be brought back in house. |
| Are you worried about your journey home? Have you made alternative travel plans? Send us your comments with the form below. Or send us your text messages to 61124 | Are you worried about your journey home? Have you made alternative travel plans? Send us your comments with the form below. Or send us your text messages to 61124 |