Letters to the Editor – 01/05 – Tube strikes, Best of Twitter
Tube strikes
[Re: As Tube strikes cause transport chaos, should such union action be restricted?, yesterday]
It is time to break the threats of militant union bosses. The GLA Conservatives have long made the case for banning strike action on the Tube. In return, unions should gain the right to independent mediation. Under a process called “binding pendulum arbitration”, an independent judge would choose between two competing positions. So if transport bosses call for a hypothetical pay freeze for Tube workers and a union asks for a 10 per cent wage increase, the judge cannot suggest a compromise, meaning both parties have an incentive to put in reasonable demands from the outset. The rights of transport staff would be protected, while commuter misery would be a thing of the past. I hope the mayor of London gets tough on union blackmail. The government should give him the tools to do so.
Richard Tracey, GLA Conservatives transport spokesman
As far as I’m concerned, TfL has done little to improve customer experience. Sure, there have been overdue structural modifications, but running hours are still limited, the Tube is still overcrowded, and it’s still mediocre.
Name withheld
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