Tube Workers To Stage 12 And 24-Hour Strikes

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out next Friday at 6.30am for 24 hours.

This will be followed by seven further walkouts running up to June, the union said.

Some 1,500 maintenance workers are involved in a row over "basic safety issues".

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "Nobody should dare to under-estimate the severe impact on track safety that the changes bulldozed through by London Underground have unleashed and which have forced our members to take a prolonged period of industrial action to protect both themselves and their colleagues.

"From a situation where everyone knew how to access the track, we now have anarchy and uncertainty.

"Into this mix we have engineering train movements that we believe will lead to someone being killed and this union will not sit back and wait for a disaster to happen.

"These ill-conceived and lethal changes to track access must be reversed. RMT remains available for talks."

Steve Griffiths, chief operating officer at London Underground (LU), said: "Talks are already planned with the RMT union next week at Acas to resolve this issue.

"Safety is always our top priority and we have robust and comprehensive procedures in place to ensure that any staff working on the track are kept safe and are aware of any train movements.

"We have talked to our trade unions extensively about the changes we have made to track access for engineering work and will continue these discussions next week."

On Wednesday, the union urged its London Underground members to accept a deal for the planned all-night service in the capital which has been delayed by a dispute over pay and conditions for staff - and which resulted in strike action last year.

Talks between LU and the RMT are continuing to try to prevent a threatened walkout this weekend. 

The latest offer includes a four-year pay deal of above-inflation rises backdated from April last year, and a £500 bonus to drivers and other staff connected with the introduction of the night service.

Station staff will also get a £500 bonus for agreeing to new rosters and accepting the closure of ticket offices, which is the subject of a separate dispute.

Its 10,000 members will start voting on the proposals next Thursday.

Three other unions are yet to announce their views.