Tube workers from the RMT are on strike for 72 hours and that can only mean one thing for millions of commuters into and out of the capital - the daily grind turns into a real nightmare.

It will also affect people arriving in the capital from around the country.

This is the place where you can share & compare your stories of the journey to and from work.  If you're outside London, then maybe it's a chance to gloat...

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Comments

[t.moore Sep 28, 2007 10:35:45 AM]

if smoking behind the wheel is an affence ,,,,then music ,ear phones,should also be banned they are distractions as well.

[C Harding, London Sep 22, 2007 2:28:03 AM]

Like someone else has already said on here, it's a legal strike. So why moan? Well the answer to that is that it's one of the few industries that you can still have a legal strike.

Having served my country, and experienced the way that this government, (and the previous one too to be fair) treats public service employees (yes, private company, but still a public service when all said and done), i'm all for striking if you think you are getting a bad deal.

Unfortunately some services like the Armed Forces or the NHS don't really get the same opportunity for direct action. These people do have that approach, so let them use it. Labour? They're a disgrace to their roots. If ever there was a demonstration that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, it's the new labour party.

[Pat - Valley Stream, New York, USA Sep 5, 2007 9:47:08 PM]

I was amazed to read the many anti-labor, anti-union comments posted here. As an American, I thought the British were much more labor-friendly than people in my country. So many who ommented seem to feel that because their own jobs and pensions are not secure, everyone else's should be not secure as well. How about looking at it the other way around? Why not fight to make your job and pension as secure as that of the transport workers?

[Paul, London Sep 5, 2007 2:47:25 PM]

People should remember that the unions fund the Labour Party - both of which Mr Brown and Mr Livingstone are members of. So they won't cause too much of a fuss when Bob Crowe and his members want a strike....

[Herman - Victoria Sep 5, 2007 1:10:37 PM]

Useless strike isn't ot or is it. As no one, including our revenue bitten mayor Ken, did not take any legal action against a proposed 3 day strike, a strike that not would and did cause havoc in the roads and in the economic markets. One can assume the economic benefit to the only revenue growth this period, CONGESTION CHARGING and other related penalties.
This is a public service therefore it should not be allowed to have such an impact on servicing. How does one justify striking to get assurance that you will not be laid off, for gods sake the company is failing, there is no such thing as a guarantee. Cuts will be necessary, maybe for better staff.

[Julian - Leytonstone Sep 4, 2007 8:03:09 PM]

Underskilled and overpaid its about time these people were shown the door. Its another classic example of a union pricing its members out of their jobs. If they don't want to do an honest day's work sack them and employ people willing to work. They complain about their job security and their pension security in a time when few others in the UK have such luxuries or are as well compensated. They are given the written guarrantees demanded and yet they still go on strike. The people that pay their wages suffer as a result. I think as passengers we should strike and refuse to pay for tickets until all this work is subcontracted out to people willing to work. As for Ken Livingstone we should sack him as well. Has he done anything to help the Londoner's stranded by these people? All he has done is take the strike as another opportunity for a photo call demonstrating yet again this man has no interest in helping the people that elect him.

[Chris - Dunstable Sep 4, 2007 6:53:14 PM]

How ironic on the day that the first Eurostar from Paris breaks the speed record to London, commuters here are getting nowhere fast. Makes you proud to be British, doesn't it ----.

[mark Sep 4, 2007 6:49:29 PM]

Steve if you want a twenty four hour service when do you suppose repairs and upgrade work would take place?

[mark Sep 4, 2007 6:47:16 PM]

The strike is legal. It was publicised you should have made alternative arrangements.
If your conditions at work were going to change for the worse of course you would not stand there and take it.
Thatcher and then New Labour have tried to smash the unions with their anti-union laws but as has been shown in the past weeks it hasn't turned out as they would have liked. The RMT and Mr.Crow have shown the other unions how to make a stand that counts.

[Chris - Dunstable Sep 4, 2007 6:31:00 PM]

If we give in to these people we will just get more of the same time after time on whatever flimsy pretext. I feel ashamed of this Government for doing nothing as usual.

[mick,kent Sep 4, 2007 6:28:23 PM]

As a contracter for metronet i understand why the lads have gone on strike.some of those lads have been on the underground for nearly 35 years,working night after night in awful conditions to ensure the safe running of trains everyday.these lads only want to protect their jobs but most of all there pensions.this strike is due to the miss management of the management and not the maintenance workers.the assurances given by the mayor and metronet were only temporary until around january next year.all sides need to sit at the table and sort this matter out a.s.a.p.

[Rod McGeady, London Sep 4, 2007 4:10:04 PM]

Another nightmare getting into work today. Who to blame:- Labour Government, Bob Crow, Metronet Management.

I don't really blame the workers for going on strike as it is their finances taking the hit.

Special mention to TfL for royally screwing up last night with their incorrect timing of the commencement of the strike. Victoria was carnage. Finally, as Matt pointed out earlier the really annoying thing about the morning's travel was the disgraceful performance of One Rail at Ilford. Thanks for making us all queue up for 30 minutes to get a ticket to go to Stratford. A special mention to the little oik who kept threatening us all with 20 pounds fine at the other end.

Finally, thanks to Jubilee Line staff for getting me into work and hopefully home. Journey time was reasonable if extremely crowded.

Rant over!

[Tory Boy, Home Counties Sep 4, 2007 3:42:29 PM]

Remember Arthur Scargill...?

Bring back Maggie Thatcher!!!

[Sally Roberts Sep 4, 2007 3:12:13 PM]

Sack them!!

[Matt (London) Sep 4, 2007 1:45:04 PM]

As if things aren't bad enough with the chaos Crow and his band of pirates have caused - I got to Ilford Station this morning (One Railways) to be told that I can't use my Oyster PAYG card and have to queue with about 200 other people to get another ticket to travel the one stop to Stratford, nice bit of profiteering from One Railways despite it saying on TFL's site that all valid tickets can be used.

[Steve, Guildford Sep 4, 2007 1:33:13 PM]

John Of Gillingham

Nobodies word is their bond if circumstances change.

PPP has failed because the unions have conspired to make sure it never succeeded.

It wasn't in their interests to help it to succeed.

Many immigrants to this country are as qualified as you.

The strikers are not striking to improve safety.

Ask yourself why you can't get public transport home late at night in a 24 hour world class city like London.

I think you'll find it is due to unions.

Calling the people who pay your wages ignorant because they expect value for money and a service for what they pay for is the highest form of ignorance.

It typifies your 'producer' and 'protectionist' mentality.

That disappeared in the private sector 25 years ago.

If the public sector had kept up, we'd ALL be much happier now.

The unions have held it and the rest of us back.

[Andy, Bayswater Sep 4, 2007 1:31:06 PM]

ok let's have some honesty. What is going to happen when Metronet is no longer in administration? Bob Crowe may not be your favourite person,but he is not courting such bad press without a reason. There is obviously unallayed suspicion that the promises made to the union are only temporary. What is the strike really about?

[Frank London Sep 4, 2007 1:30:27 PM]

They have no regards for any one else!! It took me 2 hours to get to work today when it's usually a 50 minuate journey. I think they should stop being so selfosh and get on with there job!!

[Honest working man Sep 4, 2007 1:10:36 PM]

Isn't it time these union idiots woke up to the real world? In the real world companies collapse and people are laid off - it's sad but true and we all just have to deal with it and move on. Yet these fools think they are above reality and call (yet another) strike at the drop of a hat - reality has hit home and they don't like it. If they did a better job when they were actually at work perhaps their employer wouldn't have gone down the drain in the first place? If the train companies didn't have our cash already through season tickets we - the long suffering customers - could go on strike. How many of these whingeing idiots would have jobs if we all paid weekly and decided to boycott the tube for a few weeks? Crow should be strung up in Trafalgar Square & tarred and feathered as a warning to others who screw with the lives of honest working Londoners.

[John, Gillingham Sep 4, 2007 12:58:55 PM]

No Steve I'm not a dinosaur. I'm an Englishman brought up in the belief that an Englishman's word is his bond.

If the tube had never been broken up into failed PPP contracts then there wouldn't be the problem that everyone is now facing. It was never sought by either the management or the Mayor.

Trains cannot operate if the tracks they run on are not inspected or the trains are not safety checked. That's the law. As for the strike itself, well as Bob Crow would say "We are Millwall and we don't care".

Not my sentiment because a lot of the so called work shy individuals you want to get rid of are very dedicated to the work they do and many of those facing the sack hold professional degrees in engineering. A skill which you can't replace with other workers but some commenting here seem very keen on attempting.

I am not a striker. I am a worker. I am working tonight. Working on the tube. Helping people like you get home. Then I still have to get home after all the services have finished.

Hate my job? No. Dislike the ignorance of people who cant catch a train every two minutes? Most certainly.

[Anthony Sep 4, 2007 12:31:40 PM]

The RMT seem to think that the tube exists to provide jobs for it's members, exclusively. There should be a feasibility study conducted into automating the tube. Given the strategic importance of the tube, those who CHOOSE to work on it should have an equivalent of the Public Sector Review body when it comes to pay, and all must abide by their decisions.

[Steve, Guildford Sep 4, 2007 12:23:31 PM]

Nick Of Luton

If you asked anyone if they would vote for two days off work, what do you think the result would be?

As for pay rises etc, many ordinary people have minimal or even no pay rises if a company cannot afford it.

Worse than that, we are increasingly taxed to pay for public employee pay rises and pensions with no percieved improvement in service delivery.

In a private company management have to balance the risks and rewards that Shareholders expect against what the company can pay in dividends.

If shareholder returns are less than a low risk savings account, why should a shareholder invest in a business at all?

If however any of you pro-union people would willingly invest your own money in jobs for no financial return, please feel free to contact me.

The strikers have no sympathy from anybody else on this site because they are wrong!

[Nick, Luton Sep 4, 2007 11:37:54 AM]

I'm shocked and astounded by the cretinous comments made by the majority of posters here. The Union has undertaken a legal ballot that voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. A legal strike has been called. The Union members have legally excercised their right to take industrial action and yet there are calls in so many of these posts for them to all be illegally sacked.

Great thinking. We should put minds liek you in charge of the country to really kill it off.

Just take a look at what is going on in the public sector to see how bad things have become. The Prison officers went out on strike and may do again. The postal workers still have an ongoing dispute. Low paid civil servants in the DWP have been offered an insulting pay rise which will see many take a real term pay cut over the next 3 years. The police have even mentioned the words strike action recently.

But thats what you get from a third term labour government who have shafted their workers, their supporter and the country.

[D, London Sep 4, 2007 11:20:26 AM]

Waste of space, waste of time, waste of money. Get rid of them all and end this once and for all!

[Heidi, London Sep 4, 2007 11:16:34 AM]

Well, one positive for me - I get to work from home until things are sorted out!
However, I dread going to a customer site tomorrow... what a pain. The TFL needs serious help - how can other countries run such great undergrounds (with air conditioning!)yet, London struggles with LEAVES on the track! I just don't get it.

[Steve, Guildford Sep 4, 2007 11:15:43 AM]

John of Gillingham.

You are a dinosaur.

For your transfer of undertakings, read take over. It happens all the time in the real world.

If you believe 'Promises by Management' you are a child.

As for 'exploiting' people, they would be paid as much as you are and would have as many legal rights as you or I, so where's the exploitation?

It's been a long time since slavery was abolished and young lads were forced up chimneys. Wake up!

Being forced to sub-contract?

Being Transfered without your knowledge?

Accept it or move elsewhere for less money?

You talk as if you OWN the business. You are an employee, with a contract that can be terminated at any time. Like it or lump it.

Get a different job if you are that unhappy.

Just like all of us in the REAL WORLD!

If you can't stand the heat....

[john, London Sep 4, 2007 11:15:31 AM]

I finished work at 11 0'clock last night, after a 14 hour day.

I arrive at Kings Cross to find 'workers' sitting on their lazy backsides on the station steps, staring smuggly at me.

I see this as a real two fingers raised to us commuters. I have zero respect for anyone that agrees to do a job, and then strikes when the going gets tough.

If I was to do the same in my job, I'd be striking almost every day.

Hard times happen, redundancy happens, face up to it, and get over it. Holding others to ransom is not the answer.

The Government should take a hard line against this sort of activity and issue fines - if they don't pay, then sack the lot.

[Jon, Chesham - Bucks Sep 4, 2007 11:00:13 AM]

I travel the Tube almost daily but can work at home from time to time or in situations like this. My sympathy goes out to all my fellow commuters who have braved the odds. This is such a vital and fundamental service. There should be a structure in place that prevents strikes like this happening and a mechanism (uncorrupt) that can manage disputes. But hey, I'd love a gold plated heated toilet seat . . . that just ain't gonna happen. More working from home is the answer. Less pollution, less crowds, less stress and best of all less money that these rip-off merchants can take. Take Care

[Caroline - Angel Sep 4, 2007 10:55:02 AM]

I'd like to thank the union for striking if only to get me walking around London. They are doing me a favour and if we could repay that favour by sacking the lot and getting some actual workers in they too would see the benifits gained from not being underground every day. Might even give these work to strike people a perpsective on the real workers out there.

[ben London Sep 4, 2007 10:54:52 AM]

Since Labour Came to power ther been more strikes than ever before sack labour and bob crow. It time put a ban on strikes.

[Inge Jones, London UK Sep 4, 2007 10:49:03 AM]

It is LU's fault the services closed early. Only the maintenance workers are striking, not the drivers and other staff. The trains could have carried on running long enough to at least get people home properly from work.

[Sally ,London Sep 4, 2007 10:45:50 AM]

I think it is disgusting what they are doing and they should het rid of them all. The govt should also have a back up where they can put trained staff inplace to keep the tubes and London running.

And they should definately get rid of Bob Crow, he is a small minded trouble maker.

[Andrew, London Sep 4, 2007 10:23:57 AM]

This is ridiculous; they are being so selfish and with buses full to capacity; this is a terrorists dream. When will the RTM wake up and realise that if they are efficient in their jobs and valued, then they won't need any assurances at all? This has been the first morning of the mayhem and surely it can only get worse over the three days; overcrowding is making the system unsafe and I only hope that RTM think it is worth it, if should they end up with blood on their hands.

[Peter Piper Sep 4, 2007 9:50:08 AM]

What's the betting the unions do this during the Olympics ?

We will be the laughing stock of the world. Let's do what Reagan did with the airtraffic controllers in the states - sack the lot.

[Jo London Sep 4, 2007 9:44:06 AM]

I am so fed up with these idiots going on strike all the time. If I decided to go on strike then I'd be sacked. I think the government should sack the lot of them and replace them with hard working Polish people instead who might actually do some work. Sack them and put Bob in prison.

[Rob London Sep 4, 2007 9:39:49 AM]

They should sack every single employee who hasn't turned up for work today. Run whatever service they can on the tube until they can train more people on a no strike basis. There are plenty of people who would love to have their jobs. They are some of the most overpaid people in England!!!

[Sian - Oxford Street Sep 4, 2007 9:37:17 AM]

I got in to work on the Jubilee line but it was awful! Quite a horrible experience. I really wish I had not bothered because I am now exhausted!
Metronet should be ashamed of themselves...just another excuse for a couple of days off, while commuters suffer at their expense. They disgust me, and quite frankly their behaviour does not warrant any kind of 'job guarantee'.

[Rob, London Sep 4, 2007 9:25:23 AM]

I agree with Steve! They should be treated as terrorists, because they have no other aim than to cause disruption and suffering to millions of hard-working Londoners, many of whom work 3 times harder without job security or pensions. Give the rail jobs to dependable workers, eg. economic migrants who appreciate the employment and take pride in their work!

[Sean, Mitcham Sep 4, 2007 9:14:47 AM]

I have absolutely no sympathy for any of the striking workers. How can Bob Crowe justify holding the entire city to ransom? It is not our fault Metronet mis-managed its funds which led to its demise so why should Londoners suffer? Sack the lot of them, I personally would prefer to go a little while longer without the tubes whilst a new workforce is employed who actually want to do work. These strikes are becoming a yearly occurrance for one reason or another and need to be dealt with severely now.

[John, Gillingham Sep 4, 2007 9:00:16 AM]

Steve of Guildford, so you want to sack workers who were the victims of a transfer of undertakings against the wishes of the mayor and people of london, who were promised if metronet failed they would remain In House only for management to break this agreement and farm them off to yet another private company which didn't have a contract to maintain the tube? To top that you want to employ people from elsewhere and exploit them because they won't stand up for their employment rights? Dickens would have been proud of you.

If I was in a job and Gordon Brown forced me to be sub contracted to another company only to be later told I had been permanently transferred without my knowledge and that my original pension was scrapped and that because of the new company failing I would be transferred yet again on less money to anywhere in the country would I go on strike? Damn right I would!

[Gary Rowell Sep 4, 2007 8:57:11 AM]

What can I say another strike thats totaly unjustified I say sack the lot especialy the likes of Bob Crow who seems to have no real justification to this strike whatesoever and he seems to be in it for his own glorification .

[andrew, portobello Sep 4, 2007 8:56:38 AM]

we already have sub-standard tubes with no aircon and little standing room during commuting peaks. When will the people of London revolt.

Vespa and other scooter manufacturers must be lauging all the way to the bank......

contact your local council and demand action, pref Tory as they need the voters bacl on side.

[isle of dogs Sep 4, 2007 8:47:52 AM]

This should happen more often as its reminds people that there legs can walk afer all.I am sure a lot of people will sleep better tonight after all the extra exersise?

[Rita, London Sep 4, 2007 7:06:21 AM]

Absolutely disgusting. I reckon every summer they just want to have an extra few days off to add to their increasing annual entitlement so they can sit back, watch and laugh at hard working people who have to suffer the agony of having to work a full day and then travel for miles to get home. What about the working mothers who have to get to childminders, nurseries in time to pick their kids up? Its absolutely disgusting and Bob Crow should be locked up and the key thrown in the gutter. What a disgustingly disturbed and selfish little man.

[andrew woof Sep 4, 2007 6:42:51 AM]

i used northern rail (lancashire to yorkshire) with my family a couple of weeks ago and it was hell ,the train had around 12 teenagers who boarded with a crate of cider and a couple of crates of beer,7.40 in the morning until around 10.45 am all it was shouting ,screaming and flashing their bits in a drunken rampage,the conductor made sure he stayed clear.No wonder public transport is in dire straits as it's unfit to use because of the yobs.time to learn to drive...

[Steve, London Sep 4, 2007 1:38:25 AM]

The strike was supposed to start at 6pm Monday, but by 5pm most trains had stopped. This caused massive problems getting home. Why was this incorrectly advertised? The RMT are a bunch of lazy slobs who just want time off to drink beer.

[Michelle in Bishop Auckland Sep 3, 2007 11:20:09 PM]

My husband was supposed to be travelling from Darlington train station to London on a very expensive training course, unfortunately he will have to ring and cancel due to the tube strike will as he won’t be able to get to his destination now. Yes he could get a taxi but so will every one else want a taxi so he may have to queue hours which will make him late for the training course. So cancellation it is and this course is essential to my husband’s line of work.

[Brendan, London Sep 3, 2007 10:51:11 PM]

Gordon Brown advocated the PPP and went out of his way to push it through against the advice of professionals.

Metronet goes down and once again the PAYING public suffer for something the he was told would not work.

What's he doing about it? Absolutely nothing! And he expects the voting public of the UK to approve his position and vote his party back into power? HAH!

Welcome to England.

[tina gant (mrs) Sep 3, 2007 9:42:48 PM]

I got to newbury park tube station this evening as this is were we always park, we come from ipswich. There was no trains. We had no idea how to get to where we were going as we have never been there before, I had checked there website and it said everything was fine. we ended up coming home having used £15 petrol, £2.50 parking and lost over £60 in concert tickets, All i can say is checkout the LONDON UNDERGROUND song on utube it says it all....

[dan west london Sep 3, 2007 9:13:35 PM]

bit one sided these comments so far. union members should be applauded for standing upto their mean minded and unscrupulous managers and defending their rights. If more people did this about their own workingenvironments and not whinge, maybe they would enjoy some work place security and decent benefits themselves.

[Chris, North London Sep 3, 2007 9:03:40 PM]

I'd agree with the other comments - Bob Crow is responsible for the travel chaos that is resulting from the latest tube strikes.

When will the unions learn to adapt to change and understand that nobody's job is secure these days. Those on strike are selfish and unrealistic.

[James, London Sep 3, 2007 8:41:29 PM]

Bob Crow is a total disgrace and the strike is pointless. Taking industrial action because of POTENTIAL job losses is no reason to deliberately screw up the Tube network for tens of thousands of people. All sympathy has been lost for the workers thanks to Crow and his selfish actions. Why should honest, hard-working travellers pay to satisfy this man's ego?

[LONDON Sep 3, 2007 8:41:20 PM]

no strikes and trains were faster in 1908.check daily mail

[Paul Witham Essex Sep 3, 2007 8:11:39 PM]

How dare these people go on strike they are paid a lot more than doctors and nurses and they provide a more important survice.

[Nick, Brent Sep 3, 2007 7:31:25 PM]

I blame Ken Livingstone. Get Boris in as quickly as possible.

[Fraser, London Sep 3, 2007 7:11:49 PM]

I don't get it, they want to keep they position in a company that has gone bankrupt? So they strike??
This will cost London millions more than we have already spent on Metronet. Why should we have to shell out again for the Transport Mafia?
I'll tell you how to halve the amount of stikes: make it come out of their holiday allowance (50days a year). Then at leat they would have to give up something like the rest of us.

[IAN WIGAN Sep 3, 2007 6:55:45 PM]

Sack the lot of these parasites i say !

[Ash, London Bridge Sep 3, 2007 6:29:19 PM]

The tubes aren't reliable.
The roads are littered with road works.
Buses are few and far between.
Congestion charge is extortionate.
Rail fares take the cake.

Why are us, the consumer, constantly punished? We provide the economy and yet there is little consideration of our needs. It's frustrating this "take take take" attitude. No wonder we have a slight case of anarchy plaguing the country.

[David - Kensington Sep 3, 2007 5:45:22 PM]

Hooray, more disruption to one of the world's leading Capital City's! Oh how the rest of the world must admire our efficiency!

Why can't they just keep working but keep the barriers open for all to travel free? That way us customers get a service and the chance to get home but the organisation gets to suffer and hopefully some action will be taken to put a stop to things!

[Khalid Sep 3, 2007 5:38:37 PM]

Whilst the only tube I regularly see en-route my working campus, is the daily toothpaste, how hidden dangers loom from underground as many a person has to ensure business reliance upon the graceful availability of http://www.sky.com/broadband
So, apart from a gleaming smile, and a trip across the rug, I really do sympathise with the “Living Thing” who just want to keep on saying “E.L.O”

[Peter, Beds Sep 3, 2007 5:04:10 PM]

Stuff them! If it's a good day walk, or take an alternative means of transport, and keep doing it! If I went on strike I'd loose my job, so stuff them! This is blackmail, it's almost as bad as giving terrorists their demands!

[Alan, Ealing Broadway Sep 3, 2007 4:57:23 PM]

As per usual, hit the customer where it hurts!

[Steve, Guildford Sep 3, 2007 4:49:18 PM]

In the real world, nobody's job or pension is safe or guaranteed.

This is because things change.

Metronet has gone into administration because it was forced to overpay underworking staff.

Now those same staff are robbing the corpse of the company.

When will they ever learn.

Current legislation and regulation protects employees sufficiantly as they are.

Unions have no further use than to steal from the companies and their customers.

Sack the lot.

Replace them with Eastern Europeans who want to work and do a good job.

Bob Crowe is holding London hostage once again, for no other reason than to line his members pockets at everyone elses expense.

He should be treated like any other terrorist and locked up indefinitely.

[Chris - Russell Sqaure Sep 3, 2007 4:33:15 PM]

Typical Bob Crow. Doesn't give a rats about anyone else all he cares about is lining his own pocket and disrupting as many people as possible.
Will Labour step in??? Of course not !!!