Posted 23rd January 2014 | 5 Comments
Underground 'to stay open' during strikes
TWO strikes on London Underground called in protest at plans to close the system's ticket offices will be met by the deployment of hundreds of 'Ambassadors', Transport for London said.
The stoppages are due to start at midday on 4 and 11 February and continue for 48 hours. Related action 'short of a strike', affecting the sale of tickets and collection of fares, is also planned by the union on other days.
But Transport for London said it was planning 'to keep London moving and open for business should strikes threatened by the RMT union’s leadership go ahead' by deploying more than 1,000 Ambassadors at Underground stations.
It promised that only Ambassadors who are fully trained and licensed will be employed at stations, but they will be joined by many more volunteers, who will keep passengers informed on how services are operating and offer advice on alternatives, including bus, London Overground and river services, as well as walking and cycling routes.
London Underground's chief operating officer Phil Hufton said: “Under our plans to modernise the service we offer our customers all our stations will remain staffed and controlled by our people at all times when services are operating. In fact, we will have more staff visible and available in ticket halls and on platforms to help customers buy the right ticket, plan their journeys and to keep them safe and secure. We’re also committed to implementing these changes without compulsory redundancies. There’ll be a job for everyone at LU who wants to work with us and be flexible.
“Given these assurances, we urge the RMT and TSSA union leaderships to end their strike threats and to work with us to shape the future of the Tube. However, should a strike go ahead, we’re determined to keep London moving and open for business and our TfL Ambassadors will play an important role. All a strike will achieve is lose those who take part four days’ pay.”
The unions involved have yet to comment.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Bob West, London
There is plenty of evidence that staff will be removed from stations. The 950 jobs which are going represent a net loss of staff, many stations will have to make do with less staff on duty, especially in the outlying areas where just one staff member on duty will become the norm.
James Palma, London
Having people sat in ticket offices is not cost efficient in light of modern technology.
If you have an emergency you want to see someone immediately, and that would generally be at the ticket barrier, NOT the ticket office.
There is no evidence that staff will be removed from stations. That is another argument IF the occasion arises.
Thinning out people who get £30,000-£40,000 (or more) a year? many of whom do duplicate roles? Bye bye underground drivers.
All of whom get paid more than my partner who is a manager, has a Masters degree, is the only one who does his job, does an essential role for the safe operation of the railway and makes multi multi million pound decisions daily.
Lorentz, London
I'm not sure why it has take TfL so long to getting around to cutting the ticket offices - they have not bee necessary for a good few years, and it would be far better from the customer perspective if these people were available at the gate line and at platform level.
not sure why the Mayor should meet the Unions - he does not manage TfL.
@Steve Alston, Crewe
Sorry, but I disagree with both points; as a London commuter, ticket staff do not add anything extra to safety o the underground - it is a invalid claim, they are sat i offices, not out with Customers; most of the safety features are already covered by technology a other teams.
Ticket offices are o longer eve about ticket sales.
Steve Alston, Crewe
Booking offices.... Whilst many will see them as old-fashioned and obsolete with the introduction of Oyster and good-quality ticket machines, there are two main issues that I do agree with the RMT on.
1) The booking office is a vital customer facing point which is always staffed. Merseyrail have these, and station safety and security is maintained. In other words, people do feel safe knowing someone is on site.
2) Should booking offices close, TfL will see this as an open door to start getting rid of everyone else. You end up with a system like Manchester's Metrolink, or their local Northern Rail network which have few staff on stations. Muggers, thieves and sex offenders having free reign on those systems.
Booking offices are about much more than just selling a ticket.
If major economies must be made, it is time for the Mayor to start going through the accounts of Transport For London and look at the staffing cost of senior people I can only describe as surplus to requirement, earning way over £35-40,000. There are a lot, many duplicating each other's jobs three times over.
Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Given this dispute is about fare collection then the unions should ensure that services operate as normal but stage a strike re fares collected .
I have read of strikes in other countries have involved leaving ticket gates open creating a no fares day and they have often proved very popular !
Ah well nearly 6 years as Mayor and yet Boris has still not met TFL union leaders I bet its odds on that he won't have met them by the next Mayoral election !
The nonsense of this is the amount saved bt TFL is peanuts compared the money wasted on Vanitybuses and empty cable cars where the real cuts should be made !