Talks fail to halt Tube strike

THE 24-hour Tube strike due to begin at 8pm tomorrow goes ahead, union leaders ruled today. A meeting between the RMT union and London Underground broke up after two hours and 15 minutes this afternoon without an agreement being reached.

Bobby Law, RMT's chief negotiator for the Tube, said the union's controlling executive committee would be meeting later this evening 'but my recommendation is that the action stays on'.

The major part of the network, used by more than three million people a day, is expected to come to a halt. The situation is exacerbated by hundreds of drivers belonging to the rival union Aslef - which is not involved in this dispute - who are expected to refuse to cross RMT picket lines.

The RMT ordered the strike, with a warning of more to come, in protest at safety standards following the Tube's planned part-privatisation. The union claims that LU has refused to take part in 'meaningful consultations' on this issue .

LU denies this, saying negotiations have been going on for three years and it is more than willing to keep meeting with the unions to discuss their concerns.