Sadiq Khan has warned the Government may be “deliberately provoking” the unions into strike action following yet another 24-hour walkout.
Speaking as Londoners were told not to travel on the Underground on Friday, Mr Khan said: “The way the Government is behaving, it’s almost like they’re deliberately provoking strikes across the country, not just in the transport sector but in other sectors, as a precursor for legislation to curtail the rights of trade unions to go on strike.”
Around 10,000 members of the RMT union are staging a 24-hour walkout in an ongoing dispute over jobs and pensions, while 1,100 members of Unite union are striking on the Underground, Croydon Tramlink, and Victoria coach station.
In addition, 400 London Overground workers employed by Arriva Rail London are separately engaging in a walkout, as are bus drivers working for United London, affecting 57 routes through west and south-west London and parts of Surrey.
The fresh round of industrial action bringing London’s transport network to a standstill comes a day after rail strikes which left only around one in five services running.
Commenting on the walkout, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch apologised to commuters for the disruption but insisted strike action must be taken in order to protect the union’s members.
Seperately, Grant Shapps has indicated railway reforms will be rolled out if the Government’s deal is not accepted.
