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Tube strike: Talks to avert next strike begin Tube strike to go ahead after talks fail
(about 1 hour later)
Talks aimed at averting a new round of strikes on the Tube over plans to close ticket offices and cut jobs are under way at Acas. A 72-hour Tube strike is set to go ahead after talks broke down between London Underground and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.
Tube services were disrupted for 48 hours after members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union began strike action on Monday. Union members will go on strike from 21:00 BST on 5 May over plans to close ticket offices and cut 960 jobs.
The union plans to strike for three days from 21:00 BST on 5 May. Talks between the two parties were held at the conciliation service Acas on Friday.
Negotiations between the RMT and London Underground (LU) are being held at the conciliation service. John Leach, from the RMT, said discussions had broken down. London Underground has not commented.
"They have not taken up our offer and they've spent eight hours talking about very little," Mr Leach said.
"Regrettably the strike is still on."
Tube services were disrupted for 48 hours after members of the RMT union began strike action on Monday.
Transport for London (TfL) has said its proposals to close all ticket offices - which would lead to 960 job losses - would save £50m a year.Transport for London (TfL) has said its proposals to close all ticket offices - which would lead to 960 job losses - would save £50m a year.
Union offer The RMT said it had offered to suspend the latest strike action if London Underground had agreed to a public consultation over the plans, which are said not to include any compulsory redundancies.
Meanwhile, the TSSA, Unite and RMT unions have been asked to take action short of a strike from Tuesday until further notice, in relation to a separate issue regarding pension cuts and a pay freeze. An Acas spokesman said the talks - which had begun at 10:00 BST - were adjourned at 18:15.
A statement from TfL Unions Together said that from Tuesday members have been asked to withdraw their "goodwill and co-operation" by not working beyond contractual hours and not volunteering for travel ambassador duties. The RMT and London Underground have met more than 40 times through Acas since a previous 48-hour strike was held in February.
Phil Hufton, LU's chief operating officer, said the modernisation proposals were about increasing the number of staff members in ticket halls.
He said: "It is not so much about the ticket office, it's about the staffing within the ticket halls."
The RMT said it would have suspended the latest strike action if LU had agreed to a public consultation over the plans, which are said not to include any compulsory redundancies.
John Leach, from the RMT, said it was up to LU whether further strikes went ahead.
The union, he said, would have suspended its action if the company had agreed to "halt the implementation of these booking office closures and the job cuts".
The RMT and LU have met more than 40 times through Acas since a previous 48-hour strike in February.