EPAA majority of Tube stations across London remained closed on WednesdayThe union leader of striking Tube workers has called for a summit including the mayor of London to try to resolve a dispute over pay and working hours.Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are taking industrial action this week, which has crippled London Underground services, causing travel chaos in the capital since the strike began on Sunday.On Wednesday, the union’s general secretary Eddie Dempsey repeated his call for Sir Sadiq Khan – the chairman of Transport for London (TfL) – to intervene in the dispute.The mayor’s office said Sir Sadiq has “ensured TfL is ready to restart talks” with the union to resolve the dispute.Check for TfL status updatesThe RMT union’s central demand from TfL is for a shorter working week for members of 32 hours.TfL said this was “impractical and unaffordable” and would cost the network £200m per year.The transport body also said it had made a 3.4% pay offer to workers.Talks to avert the strike broke down last weekend, Mr Dempsey previously said.Speaking at the TUC Congress in Brighton, Mr Dempsey called on Sir Sadiq to attend a summit with the union to help resolve the dispute. “I’ve got a message for the mayor,” he told delegates.”Instead of going on social media, instead of the old tired cliches, telling trades unionists to get round the table… invite us to the meeting, let’s have a discussion, because I want to know what is going on in London.”We take no pleasure in causing disruption but we make no apology for fighting for our members.”In response, a spokesperson for the mayor said: “Strikes have a serious impact on London’s businesses and commuters.”The mayor has ensured that TfL is ready to restart talks with the RMT so that we can find a resolution to this dispute.”ReutersThe number of bicycle rentals in London Wednesday increased by nearly 100% on last weekOn the fourth day of strike action on Wednesday, most London Underground services remained suspended, although about 90 stations on the outskirts of the network were open.TfL said that, as a result, more people travelled on the Docklands Light Railway, Elizabeth line and London Overground as well as buses and bicycles.By 15:00 BST, there had been 19,608 cycle hires – up by 93% on last Wednesday. Depot managers and signallers from the RMT are among those who have taken strike action this week.TfL has said it was “disappointed” the strike had gone ahead, despite its pay offer.Earlier, Nick Dent, TfL’s director of customer operations, said TfL was “very keen” to work with RMT union and said its pay offer had not been put to workers.”They launched their ballot before we’d made any pay offer, so members were voting without understanding what the pay offer actually was,” he said.The prime minister and the mayor of London are among those calling for both sides to negotiate after talks broke down last Wednesday morning.
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London Tube strike union boss calls for meeting with Sadiq Khan
