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TSSA workers could strike in battle to save ticket offices

Ballot anounced for London Underground strike against plans to close ticket offices

A London Underground strike against plans to close ticket offices loomed closer yesterday after a second union announced it would ballot for industrial action.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) are consulting on whether to launch a campaign of action in protest at the closure of all 260 Tube ticket offices, with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

Rail union RMT is set to announce tomorrow whether its members have voted to strike.

TSSA gave London Underground seven days notice of a ballot which will start on January 17 and end on January 27.

Industrial action could start from February 3 in the event of a Yes vote, with the two unions likely to co-ordinate strikes.

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes blamed the ballot on the "reckless" behaviour of London Mayor Boris Johnson.

He said: "It was the mayor who came into office in 2008 with a firm pledge to keep open every ticket office on the grounds of keeping passengers safe and secure at all times.

"He wants to scrap permanent station supervisors who are in charge of evacuations and replace them with mobile supervisors who will travel from station to station.

"But he will not answer the question 'How mobile can you be if all lines are in lockdown because of an emergency and nothing is moving whatsoever?'."

RMT general secretary Bob Crow added: "In the teeth of cuts to jobs and capacity that would leave the Underground as a dangerous, hollowed-out shell, the maximum unity among the workforce left to face the consequences is essential."

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