By Ilaria Grasso Macola
No trains will operate on the Elizabeth line today between Paddington and Abbey Wood as staff are walking out over salaries and pensions.
The industrial action will also lead to reduced service on the east and west ends of the line, between Liverpool Street and Shenfield as well as between Paddington, Reading and Heathrow.
Members of the unions TSSA and Prospect – who respectively work in signalling and engineering – have laid down tools after rejecting an 8.4 per cent pay increase over two years.
“Our members are rightly taking this action because they are not prepared to be pushed around on pay and pensions,” said TSSA’s organiser Mel Taylor.
“We know workers at Rail for London Infrastructure are being paid significantly less than equivalent colleagues across the TfL network and that is simply not acceptable.”
The Elizabeth line walkout began this morning despite pleas from London mayor Sadiq Khan, who earlier this week urged the unions to go back to the negotiating table.
“There’s no need for the strike to take place this Thursday,” the mayor told City A.M. on Tuesday.
“I’d encourage the unions to please, please, please talk to Transport for London (TfL).
“Talking is better than walking.”
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