London Underground set for strike negotiations

RMT union votes in favour of industrial action

London Underground (LU) is set for rounds of strike negotiations after the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union voted in favour of industrial action.

RMT claim the 800 job cuts proposed by LU bosses would compromise the safety of passengers.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, expressed his belief that the cut-backs would turn the underground tracks into a "death trap" and result in unstaffed stations.

Richard Parry, LU's strategy director, accused RMT of scaremongering in a bid to garner public support.

He said: "There will be no compulsory redundancies, our stations will continue to be staffed at all times while trains are operating.

"All stations with a ticket office will continue to have one. This vote for strike action is unnecessary; any industrial action will simply lose staff pay."

Over three-quarters (76 per cent) of RMT's members voted for strike action, but a date for any walkouts was not confirmed.