London's Tube Strike Could Cost Millions

For 48 hours London will be at a bit of a stand still as the driver's union strikes. Not all of the buses though have joined in. By afternoon 140 out of 420 trains were racing down the tube transporting residents around the city.

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has said that the strike is supported. With some of the Tube's trains still running though RMT leader Bob Crow is saying that London's Mayor Boris Johnson is trying to sabotage the union. The Independent reports:

"Acas officials went off to get the document typed up and by the time they came back the underground management had reneged on it. The whole thing stinks of last minute sabotage and RMT believes that must have come from the very top, and the finger is pointing at Boris Johnson and Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy.

"Johnson needs to stop the political grandstanding and meet direct with RMT to settle the pay, jobs and bullying issues at the heart of this strike."

Commuters were able to get to work today by foot power or by using the Thames boats, shared taxis and the extra buses put in place to cover the city during the strike.

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Tube Strike - London Underground is Closed

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Still 150,000 British employees used the strike as a day off failing to make it into work today. The cost of the strike could be as high as 85 million pounds if it does drag on for the full 48 hours. The RMT is adamant about the strike but Aslef is not going along with this one. This Is London reports:

Keith Norman, general secretary of Aslef, said: "Our members are not involved in this dispute. We believe this dispute can be solved through negotiation. The fact that so many Aslef drivers have turned up for work today is highly significant.

"In the past Aslef drivers would have refused to cross picket lines in support of a rival union. This however is evidently not the case today."

The strike is over a pay deal and demands to avoid compulsory redundancies as thousands of jobs are being cut in a cost-cutting policy.

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strike poster

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