London Tube service was halted Wednesday after a walkout by Underground staff. The 24-hour strike is over pay and night service, which is set to begin this fall. Though the system should be running again by Friday, the stoppage has caused commuting chaos as transit users scramble to find alternate modes of transportation.
The Mirror reported that a Facebook post by a London Tube worker went viral. “This dispute has never been about money, It is about protecting work life balance and making sure that change in contracts are negotiated, not just imposed,” it reads. “And it’s not only train drivers that voted for industrial action, it’s every grade of staff that works on the Underground network.”
The Tube Strike continues. Angry posh people try to figure out buses. The travel catapults have been a disaster. Ubers now cost£700 per mile
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) July 9, 2015
I don't pay a fortune every month so that people can go on strike – the more you strike, the more public support you loose #tfl #tubestrike
— Jo Painter (@JoPainter) July 6, 2015
Only the British are capable of such orderly chaos http://t.co/EZ548XBw8q #tubestrikes pic.twitter.com/Aq60BmONET
— The Independent (@Independent) July 9, 2015
Lead administrators of the London Underground have expressed a lack of support for the strike and stand by the upcoming schedule changes. London Underground’s chief operating officer Steve Griffiths told the Mirror, “It will make life better for everyone, cut journey times, create jobs and boost the economy.”
Today the Guardian reported that a union rep posted this message to members: “For 364 days of the year, London Underground staff work hard to keep this city moving. Today you will be vilified by some because you have the courage to stand up for yourselves, the courage to say we will not just allow our employer to impose changes without agreement. You will hear time and time again how much benefit the mayor’s plans will bring to London’s economy. Why is it wrong to say that those benefits should not come at the expense of the people who will work to deliver them?”
Marielle Mondon is an editor and freelance journalist in Philadelphia. Her work has appeared in Philadelphia City Paper, Wild Magazine, and PolicyMic. She previously reported on communities in Northern Manhattan while earning an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University.
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