Rail union chiefs say dispute will go on ‘as long as it takes’ amid further strikes

theguardian.com:

Rail union leaders have warned the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions will continue “for as long as it takes” with further strikes taking place in London on Friday and across the UK on Saturday.

Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) members on London Underground and London Overground, and some bus drivers in the capital with Unite, will take industrial action on Friday.

On Saturday rail workers will strike again, which will also affect Sunday morning train services.

The Unite bus strike will affect London United routes through west and south-west London and parts of Surrey.

In total, 57 routes will not be operating and there will be no night bus service on affected routes on Friday and Saturday.

Transport for London (TfL) urged people to avoid travelling on the tube and only travel if essential on the rest of the network on Friday and until 8am on Saturday.

Nationally, tens of thousands of members of the RMT, Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite walked out on Thursday, resulting in about one in five trains running, with some areas having no services all day.

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It comes as Downing Street denied that ministers are deliberately seeking a political fight with rail unions after both sides toughened their language further.

“The priority is on making sure people who use public transport can get to work, school and hospital appointments without such disruption,” a No 10 source told the Guardian.

On Thursday Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, wrote to the transport secretary Grant Shapps, stating: “Your government has made the decision to use taxpayer’s money to