The RMT union has warned that strikes could spread to the London Underground in the New Year due to a long-running dispute over job cuts.

As its members on Southern Railway took part in the second day of a 48-hour walkout in their row over conductor-less trains, the RMT said it was set to escalate its dispute with Tube bosses.

Its general secretary Mick Cash said its current ban on overtime could be raised to a strike ballot as he believed safety was being compromised by the loss of 800 jobs through a cost-cutting programme.

Reigate MP Blunt on rail strike action

The union said it had obtained the minutes of a meeting of senior Tube bosses at which managers expressed concerns about the job cuts, with one manager apparently saying he agreed with the union.

The RMT warned that strikes now "loom".


"Tube unions have been warning London Underground for two years that stations cannot function after so many job cuts," Mr Cash said.

"Now their own middle managers are telling them the same.

"Instead of addressing a chronic lack of staff, Tube bosses are ordering office workers and senior managers with no operational experience to cover the jobs of trained station staff after one-day courses.

"We have seen people in jeans and trainers breaking safety rules as they try to cover roles that they are simply not qualified to do."

Unite: 'Strikes could have been resolved weeks ago'

The union raised the prospect of Tube strikes as workers at the largest Post Offices continued a five-day strike and some airports faced the threat of disruption from a 48-hour walkout by baggage handlers and other staff from Christmas Eve.

British Airways reported on Monday that it expected to operate a full schedule on Christmas Day and Boxing Day despite a strike by cabin crew in its Mixed Fleet

Virgin Atlantic pilots are to work "strictly to contract" from 23 December.

:: Strikes show 'contempt' for people, No 10 says

Unions 'shooting themselves in the foot' over strikes

Mr Cash reacted angrily to reports that the Prime Minister told a meeting of Tory MPs in constituencies affected by the Southern strikes that other rail operators should run longer trains and more buses should be put on to compensate for the disruption passengers have faced.

"Instead of resorting to lash-up stunts for public relations purposes, Theresa May should be instructing her Southern rail contractors to get back round the table and sort out the issues about passenger safety at the heart of this dispute," he said.

"If she's serious about getting a grip, Mrs May needs to scrap that agenda of confrontation and give us an opportunity to engage in genuine and meaningful talks."