Following an overwhelming vote for action by RMT drivers on the Hammersmith and City and Circle Lines, and a failure to reach an agreement in talks held through ACAS right up to the wire yesterday, the union has confirmed this morning that 24 hours of strike action will go ahead from this evening.

All affected members have been instructed NOT TO BOOK ON for any shifts that commence between:-

• 21:30 hours on Thursday 15th September 2016 and 21:29 hours on Friday 16th September 2016.

The dispute is over heavy handed and aggressive management, including putting staff toilet breaks on a stop watch, and a flagrant disregard for agreed policies and procedures. ‎

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

"This dispute is about the basic issues of protecting working conditions of our members and defending agreements from attempts to drive a coach and horses through them. The management are out of control and the anger at their failure to follow procedures has boiled over. 

"This breakdown in industrial relations should never have been allowed to happen and if agreements and processes had been adhered to from the off the package of issues at the heart of the dispute could have been resolved through the joint machinery.

"The union remains available for serious and meaningful talks."