Disruption makes mockery of Mayor's no-strike promise

Labour's transport lead on the London Assembly, Val Shawcross, has slammed Boris Johnson's failure to avert today's Tube strike.

As millions of Londoners struggled with huge disruption on the transport network, Val Shawcross said the Mayor's failure even to attempt to see off the action by meeting with the RMT made a mockery of his promise to "negotiate a no-strike deal" with the unions.

Val Shawcross said: "While underground workers should show restraint and it is deeply regrettable that this dispute has been allowed to escalate, the Mayor must take his share of responsibility for the disruption faced by millions of Londoners today. His lack of action, his unwillingness to meet with the unions and his deliberate provocation of the RMT all show Boris is not the serious hard-nosed leader London needs.

"A more pro-active, interested Mayor would have put his prejudices to one side, rolled up his sleeves and not let the dispute escalate to this disruptive stage. He would have worked with the unions to find a fair way forward. Instead, Boris has refused to come to the negotiating table and the no-strike deal he promised on the campaign trail is looking like a ridiculous puff of hot air."

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Notes

Boris Johnson's transport manifesto promised "I will look to reduce the disruption caused by strikes on the Tube by negotiating a no-strike deal" (page 6, Getting Londoners Moving)