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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Sami Quadri

DLR halted for two days as RMT members strike in latest blow to commuters

Londoners are being hit with further travel disruption as workers on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) begin two days of strike action.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are walking out on both Tuesday and Wednesday in a dispute over pay.

Transport for London (TfL) advised customers to plan ahead, consider alternative routes, check before they travel and allow extra time to complete their journeys.

The walkout, by employees of TfL’s operator KeolisAmey Docklands, is expected to halt all DLR services on both days. Minor disruption is also expected on Thursday morning.

GlynnBarton, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “Strikes are bad news for everyone and we continue to work with our operator, KeolisAmey Docklands, to try and resolve the matter and avoid disruption to our customers.

“Our advice for our customers is clear; plan ahead, consider alternative routes, check before you travel and allow extra time to complete your journeys.”

Crippling rail strikes could continue until Easter after RMT staff voted to continue industrial action for the next six months.

The union said that 89.9 per cent of members voted for more walkouts over pay, jobs and conditions in a reballot held last month under the Tories’ anti-strike laws.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "I congratulate our members for delivering a decisive mandate for future industrial action as we pursue a negotiated settlement of jobs pay and conditions.

"This ringing endorsement of RMT's approach to the dispute now means we have industrial leverage to secure an improved offer from the RDG.

"The government who controls this dispute through a contractual mandate over the train operating companies, must now allow the Rail Delivery Group to put forward a revised offer so we can work towards reaching a settlement.

"However, if no new offer is forthcoming, we will once again take strike action in defence of our members livelihoods."

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