A rail union representative allegedly told bosses in a meeting that work iPads being supplied to London Underground drivers were 'too small to watch Netflix' on. The claim was made by a former conductor now in middle management as Tube drivers staged their second strike of the week today, causing fresh travel chaos.
Strike Action and Dispute
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) also walked out on Tuesday after last-ditch talks failed to resolve a dispute over a four-day week. Several rail forums have hosted discussions on the reforms, with one post saying: 'Honestly, as much as I'm for unions, sometimes the reps just don't help themselves. Rep at a recent meeting to give drivers tablets complained that the screen was too small to watch Netflix on, so they should be given bigger ones. Unreal stuff.'
It is unclear which union the representative was from and whether the comment in the post, first reported by The Standard last night, was meant seriously or jokingly. The RMT declined to comment when approached by the Daily Mail about the claims today, while Transport for London (TfL) has been contacted for comment.
Union Leader at Picket Line
It comes as RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey was spotted at a barbecue as he met union members at the Arnos Grove picket line in North London this morning. The RMT raised fears in February over TfL using the iPads to 'enable and maintain direct contact with us and to monitor and evidence more closely what we are doing'. But TfL rejected this, saying staff in stations had been using tablets for more than a decade to help passengers with the latest travel information and log incidents.
Failed Talks and Service Disruption
On Monday, the RMT and TfL met for five hours for last-ditch talks with the assistance of the conciliation service Acas, but these ended without any resolution. The RMT said talks were expected to resume next week. This morning, picket lines were again mounted outside Tube stations and buses were busier than usual. The union insisted the strike would be solidly supported today – causing the Circle and Waterloo & City lines to be fully suspended and other lines on reduced services.
The Bakerloo, Central, Metropolitan, Northern and Piccadilly were part suspended; while the District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee and Victoria were running with delays. London Overground, Elizabeth line, Docklands Light Railway, buses and trams have continued operating during the strike periods but have also been far busier. Customers were told to complete their journeys by 9pm today, but a normal service is expected tomorrow. There are no further RMT Tube strikes currently scheduled.
Impact on Footfall and Accessibility
Footfall in key London areas today fell compared to a normal Thursday morning – with King's Cross down 12 per cent, Westminster down 11 per cent, the City down 9 per cent and the West End down 5 per cent, according to O2's anonymised mobile data. TfL said Londoners and visitors to the city were still able to travel despite the strike action on Tuesday after more than 60 per cent of drivers came to work that day.
A spokesperson added: 'We continue to urge the RMT to work with us to resolve their questions on the proposed four-day week and to suspend any future action while that work is completed.' TfL added that Oyster and contactless card taps were only down by around 10 per cent across the whole day on Tuesday, and services ran on most lines - with the Jubilee line in particular running almost 90 per cent of normally scheduled miles.
Concerns for Visually Impaired
But the UK's leading charity for sight loss said the strikes raised additional challenges for people with vision impairment. Guide Dogs raised concerns over the danger posed by e-bikes, particularly when parked incorrectly or in large groups. People with sight loss cannot always see if they can safely squeeze past, and often the alternative is to step into the road around it, said the charity.
Clive Wood, of Guide Dogs, said the strikes created additional challenges for people with a vision impairment, as changes to usual routes and travel patterns make getting around more difficult. He said: 'Tube closures can lead to increased traffic, busier pavements, and more crowded public spaces and buses.' Mr Wood added that many e-bikes and scooters were poorly parked and blocked pavements, posing risks for pedestrians with sight loss.
'For some, these factors may make journeys feel unpredictable or unsafe, and may lead them to avoid travelling altogether, limiting their independence,' he added. 'We're asking commuters to remember that while trains may stop, the need for accessibility doesn't. A small act like moving a hire bike or giving up a space or a seat can be the difference between a safe journey and a dangerous one for a person with sight loss.'
Background on the Dispute
The RMT - Britain's largest specialist transport trade union - is opposed to a new four-day week because of the impact on the length of shifts and other issues. The union held its last Tube strike during the week of April 20, during which TfL ran around half of all its services. Another RMT strike planned to begin on May 18 was called off at the last-minute after the union claimed TfL had 'shifted its position', allowing it to 'explore our members' concerns' about new rosters.
