Transport for London leaders have called on union bosses to meet this week and thrash out plans to avoid further strike action on the Tube.
Commuters faced a second day of travel chaos on Tuesday morning following a 24 hour walkout by 4,000 RMT members on Monday in an ongoing row over job cuts and pensions.
The union warned it “would not rest” until it has a “just settlement” suggesting Londoners could face further commuting havoc this summer.
Severe disruption hit the network yesterday with several Tube lines completely shutdown and the majority of Underground stations closed.
The strike ended at 8am on Tuesday, but the knock-on effect of the industrial action left some journeys in tatters for a second day.
TfL said bosses were willing to meet with union representatives this week, but RMT leaders have called for face to face talks with mayor Sadiq Khan.
“The Mayor has been clear that TfL is prepared to sit down with the RMT to try and work out these issues this week”, a spokesman said.
“More disruption to Londoners would be deeply frustrating - particularly as no one is losing their jobs as part of these changes and TfL have not proposed any changes to pensions.
“The Mayor urges the RMT to work with him to lobby Government - who are the ones threatening cuts and pension reform.”
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “It is disappointing and unfair of the Mayor to put the blame for these strikes on the Government rather than take responsibility and fulfil his promise of making TfL financially stable – especially as it was his own advisory panel who recommended pension reform.”
Frustrated commuters said on Tuesday that similar strikes “must never happen again”.
Travellers arriving at many stations early this morning found the gates locked or were told that trains were in the wrong place for normal services to be immediately resumed.
Property development worker Grant Gibson, 51, had to take a bus to Green Park after discovering South Ealing Underground station was still shut.
He said: “It’s unacceptable holding people to ransom. This must never happen again.
“The economy is already tanking and now this. I thought everything would be up and running this morning but clearly not. I’m very frustrated and angry.”
Carlotta Pironti, 22, who works in a coffee shop in central London said: “I don’t think these strikes are fair. There are lots of strikes in Italy where I’m from. I thought Britain would be better.
“Because of the strike the shop where I work was empty yesterday. Today I thought it would be back to normal.”
At transport hub Hammersmith, where the District and Piccadilly lines run from, there was a scramble for trains when services restarted.
Lottie Marsh, 29, a hospital worker said: “it’s been a bit chaotic this morning. I turned up extra early but I’m still going to be late for work. I agree that people should be able to strike but they just need remember that people in vital services like the NHS need to get to work as well.”
By 8.30am most services were getting back to a normal timetable.
The RMT said that 600 station worker jobs will be lost and working agreements torn up under current cost saving proposals.
It has also claimed there is a threat to employee pensions.
Union embers are also taking action just short of striking until Sunday July 10, which TfL warned may result in short notice station closures as staff refuse to work overtime.
TfL has insisted no plans have been tabled on pensions or terms and conditions, and nobody would lose their jobs.
Some 500 to 600 staff posts would not be replaced when staff left, it said.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said TfL and the Mayor “had ample opportunity to negotiate with the union” to avert strike action.
“We will not rest until we have a just settlement to this dispute and we urge the Mayor to stand up to the Tory government who are cutting funding to TfL rather than try to pick a fight with tube workers,” he said.
The Department of Transport handed TfL billions in loans after pandemic lockdowns hit the network’s finances.
A spokesman added: “We’ve provided TfL with close to £5bn during the pandemic and committed to exploring a long-term settlement to further support London’s transport network all while the Mayor buries his head in the sand and continues to push for more bailouts.”
As part of previous funding agreements, the Government has required TfL to work towards achieving financial sustainability on its operations by April 2023.
The latest industrial action came after a four day walkout by union members in March which caused parts of the capital to grind to a halt.
