Platinum Jubilee Tube strikes: Chaos for Queen’s weekend of celebrations as walkout announced on London Underground
BORIS Johnson has blasted plans for a Tube walkout during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee bank holiday.
The move will bring chaos to the capital amid the four-day break in early June.
Staff who are members of the RMT Union say they’ll stop working at Euston and Green Park stations on Friday, June 3.
Both stations will be key transport points for the tens of thousands of visitors heading to the city for the celebrations.
Green Park is the nearest station to Buckingham Palace.
Workers claim they’re being forced to take action over “bullying” and a “toxic working environment”.
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But Brits have now labelled the union “disgusting” and “despicable”.
And the PM’s spokesman said: “I don’t think we want to see any disruption to London’s transport system at such a moment when people are trying to come together to honour this Jubilee Year.”
One commenter said they had “absolutely no sympathy” with workers in a post on Twitter.
“Union and workers – despicable behaviour. Do better,” they wrote.
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Another said: “Just horrible… holding the country to ransom when we should be celebrating.
“Vile. Nurses don’t strike despite their working conditions.”
And a third wrote: “Completely unacceptable and selfish to be having a London Tube strike on the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend.
“In fact, I think it’s totally unfair to be causing chaos with Tube strikes for London at any time.”
Others branded the union “militant”, with one writing: “Utterly disgusting… was going to go into central London, but I think I’ll play golf instead.”
The strikes will last the entire day.
TUBE MISERY
They will affect Victoria, Jubilee and Piccadilly line services at both stations.
National Rail services at Euston will not be affected.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch admitted the strikes will cause “significant” problems for people enjoying their hard-earned long weekend.
But he was unrepentant – and said Transport for London bosses need to “do the right thing”.
“Staff at Euston and Green Park tube have suffered years of sustained bullying and intimidation by a manager who has created a toxic working environment,” he said.
“The union has tried in vain to reason with management, but they now will not let local representatives be part of a review into dismissals at the stations, instigated by the manager in question.
‘THEY’RE MILITANT’
“Our strike on June 3 will cause significant disruption to people wishing to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee.
“However, if Tube bosses do the right thing, and deal appropriately with the manager in question, we can find a just resolution to this dispute.”
TfL are understood to be carrying out an investigation into the bullying allegations, the Evening Standard reports.
Bosses have asked the RMT to call off the strikes as a matter of urgency.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We hold our people to high standards and ensure everyone is treated fairly.
“We’re aware of this dispute and are carrying out an urgent review in a bid to resolve it.
Just horrible… they’re holding the country to ransom when we should be celebrating
“We have had a number of meetings with the RMT and are urging them not to take strike action and to continue working with us to find a resolution.”
Drivers are currently coming towards the end of the Underground’s longest-ever strike, which will finish on June 19.
The overnight walkouts affect the Central and Victoria lines every Friday and Saturday.
There will also be overnight strikes on the Jubilee line every Friday and Saturday from Saturday, May 21 – when Night Tube re-opens – until Sunday, June 19.
In early March, commuters were urged to work from home after yet another two-day walkout.
It followed a row over pensions and job cuts.
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News of the latest action comes just a day after the Queen visited Paddington Station to open the new Elizabeth Line.
Her Majesty topped up an Oyster card and bought the service’s first-ever ticket before her youngest son Edward took a trip to Tottenham Court Road.
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