New Year walkout threat to the Tube

Tube unions are threatening to strike in a move which would wreck New Year celebrations for thousands of Londoners.

The RMT and Aslef said yesterday they were prepared to shut down the network on December 31 - one of the busiest days in the transport calendar - unless long-running disputes over pay and conditions were resolved.

More than 500,000 New Year revellers came to party in the capital last year and enjoyed free travel home after midnight.

Similar proposals this year could be scuppered by the RMT, which wants London Underground to drop plans to make 800 staff redundant under a deal to implement a 35-hour week. RMT regional organiser Bobby Law said last night: 'We are not accepting any job cuts. If there is no agreement, we would take action on New Year's Eve. The Tube will not be running and there will be no party.'

Meanwhile, train drivers' union Aslef is threatening to strike the same day unless a dispute over night-shift rates is settled. The issue is due to go before the courts in November. The threats come despite the salary agreement hammered out by LU and the unions this summer.

After a 24-hour strike in July, which brought the network to a halt and cost London's economy millions, the RMT and Aslef agreed a 6.5 per cent pay rise for Tube staff over two years.

All workers will get 3.5 per cent more next year and an inflation-plus-0.5 per cent increase of at least three per cent in 2005-06.

Transport for London, the body responsible for the Tube, said the pay deal was a 'big step forward'.

But a spokesman added: 'We are continuing to work with trade unions to see if it is possible to implement a self-financing, 35-hour working week for all staff as quickly as possible.'