RTS Tube Action

On Monday 4th January, the first day of the working year, Reclaim the Streets (RTS) activists occupied the head offices of London underground in resistance to privatisation and in solidarity with tube workers. Tube workers had voted to go on strike but their union called it off after London Underground Ltd. obtained a court order under the Tory anti-strike laws.

In December, Prescott signed papers allowing private companies to start 'shadowing' London Transport management to get an idea of what they will be taking over. In response, around 14 people occupied the chief executive's office, disrupting the meeting and then hanging banners. After some conversations with the big chief himself, the police evicted the occupants, none of whom were arrested.

RTS have previously done actions in support of striking tube workers and with the Liverpool dockers. In July environmental activists climbed onto the roof of a tube train at Bank and shut down the eastbound Central Line. During the 1996 tube strike RTS activists organised a simultaneous 'Critical Mass' bike blockade in Trafalgar Square. While draconian anti-strike laws limit official protest, there is growing resistance through unofficial action like the wildcat strikes being used so successfully by electricians on the Jubilee Line Extension. RTS 0171 281 4621