Passengers hit by massive disruption again as capital faces holiday strike wave

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Massive  disruption was suffered by 300,000 Southern rail passengers today as last week’s drivers’ strike was followed by a walkout by conductors.

The RMT union claimed it had “solid support” for the 48-hour stoppage, the 25th strike this year on the franchise.

Post Office workers also stopped work in a wave of Christmas industrial action which is set to spread to British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and baggage handlers at several airports.

To crown a week of mayhem, the AA warned that there would be chaos on the roads from Friday when fog will hit 12 million drivers, and huge sections of the rail network will close from Christmas Eve as Network Rail begins 200 sets of engineering works.

With Tory MPs stepping up pressure on Theresa May to consider anti-strike laws next year, a London Labour MP warned unions they were in danger of “shooting themselves in the foot”.

Meg Hillier, chair of the powerful Public Accounts Committee, said: “I think all trade unions, even though they are fighting for their rights, need to really think about the impact on the people they are actually there to serve, their customers, or their passengers.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Our guards on Southern Rail are taking up the fight for rail safety again today and the union salutes their incredible solidarity and determination after months of attacks from the employer and the Government.”

He called on Transport Secretary Chris Grayling “to get out of the bunker” and force rail operators GTR to fresh talks. Around half the usual number of trains were running today, with more than 1,000 cancelled and no service on some routes.

Southern warned of “significant disruption” today and tomorrow, with continued daily delays and cancellations due to the overtime ban. Chris Philp, the Croydon South MP who is leading calls for laws to ban strikes that are not “proportionate and reasonable”, said: “What we are seeing at Southern, where 300,000 cannot get to work because of a dispute over who pushes a button, is not proportionate or reasonable.”

Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames, whose Mid Sussex constituents are among those hit, joined calls for anti-strike laws, but cautioned: “I wouldn’t do it in the heat of combat.” He added: “What has happened on the Brighton line is absolutely appalling, has caused unbelievable hardship, jobs ruined, lives ruined.”

Downing Street sources told the Standard that Theresa May was not focusing on proposals for fresh industrial legislation but sources said it had not been ruled out “in the future”. 

Postal workers plan five days of strikes over job security and pensions, although a Post Office spokesman said fewer than 300 out of 11,600 branches would be hit. Deliveries and collections will not be affected, they said.

Southern guards will walk out again from Saturday December 31 to Monday January 2 and 1,000 train drivers will stage a week-long strike from Monday January 9 until Saturday January 14. Other disputes and disruptions include: 

Talks to try to avert a strike by British Airways cabin crew on Christmas Day and Boxing Day are taking place at Acas, the conciliation service today.

Around 1,500 airport check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew working for Swissport are planning strike action on Friday and Christmas Eve, threatening delays at Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.

Virgin Atlantic faces an overtime ban by some pilots from Friday in a complex row over union recognition. 

Network Rail engineering work means there will be no services in or out of Paddington from Christmas Eve until Thursday, December 29. All services, including the Heathrow Express, will start at Ealing Broadway.

There will be no Southeastern services to London Bridge and Charing Cross from Christmas Eve until Wednesday December 28 and no services into Cannon Street from Christmas Eve until Tuesday December 27.

Dozens of flights from Gatwick were delayed this morning as the fog that shrouded the South-East at the weekend continued to cause disruption. Heathrow returned to normal operations this morning after more than 150 flights were grounded at the weekend.