London Underground: RMT announces fifth 24-hour strike this year
London Underground workers are set to hold their fifth 24-hour strike this year in a row over jobs and pensions.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union said its members would walk out on 19 August.
The union last held a 24-hour Tube strike in June as part of a national rail strike.
The union has claimed 600 jobs will be lost under Transport for London (TfL) plans, but the transport authority has said nobody would lose their job.
Separately, RMT members are also taking strike action on Network Rail and 14 train operators on 18 and 20 August. At the same time the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) is holding its own walkout.
The RMT said the latest strike announcement was prompted by TfL's "refusal" to share details of a draft government proposal it received regarding funding of the transport system in London.
It said it was giving TfL until 2 August to give assurances on jobs, pensions and working conditions.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said its members would "once again take to picket lines in this important dispute".
"They have been messed around by TfL and mayor Sadiq Khan," he said.
"Unless there can be assurances made about jobs, pensions and detrimental changes to working conditions, then our strike on August 19 will go ahead."
Andy Lord, TfL chief operating officer, said it had not yet received official notification of the strike action.
He said: "No agreement has been reached with the government.
"We continue to work closely with our unions, while at the same time talking to the government to try to ensure that any funding agreement is fair and is the right one for London's recovery and for our colleagues.
"There is significant work yet to be done. We urge the RMT to call off this action and work with us to support London's recovery."
The union last held a 24-hour Tube strike in June as part of a national rail strike.
The union has claimed 600 jobs will be lost under Transport for London (TfL) plans, but the transport authority has said nobody would lose their job.
Separately, RMT members are also taking strike action on Network Rail and 14 train operators on 18 and 20 August. At the same time the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) is holding its own walkout.
The RMT said the latest strike announcement was prompted by TfL's "refusal" to share details of a draft government proposal it received regarding funding of the transport system in London.
It said it was giving TfL until 2 August to give assurances on jobs, pensions and working conditions.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said its members would "once again take to picket lines in this important dispute".
"They have been messed around by TfL and mayor Sadiq Khan," he said.
"Unless there can be assurances made about jobs, pensions and detrimental changes to working conditions, then our strike on August 19 will go ahead."
Andy Lord, TfL chief operating officer, said it had not yet received official notification of the strike action.
He said: "No agreement has been reached with the government.
"We continue to work closely with our unions, while at the same time talking to the government to try to ensure that any funding agreement is fair and is the right one for London's recovery and for our colleagues.
"There is significant work yet to be done. We urge the RMT to call off this action and work with us to support London's recovery."
