TUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has set a deadline of 5pm on Thursday 25th March 2010 for London Underground to withdraw the threat of axing 800 staff and closing ticket offices or the union will declare a dispute and ballot for strike action and action short of a strike.

RMT also warned today that London Underground are already running stations unstaffed or “babysat” with just one member of staff and will be submitting evidence of this growing practice to the company health and safety forum today. RMT have estimated that at least 200 key staffing positions are already unfilled as LU tries to smuggle in their cuts via the backdoor – leaving stations dangerously short of staff.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“We have already warned that the cuts that are being planned by TfL will turn tube stations into a muggers paradise and it now appears that the company are speeding up the process and are already leaving stations unstaffed, or babysat with just one member of staff, without any consultation.

“That is a scandalous dereliction of duty and it is only a matter of time now before TfL and Boris Johnson have a tragedy on their hands as a result of their cavalier disregard for public safety.

“RMT has made it clear right from the outset that we will not sit idly by while the Mayor and his transport officials drive down tube staffing levels to dangerously low levels. If we have to ballot for action in the interests of tube safety then that is exactly what we will do.”