Tube staff suffer abuse

Unreliable information about the levels of service on the London Underground (LU) is leading to members of the public harassing tube workers, according to the RMT transport union.

LU has been putting out inaccurate information for passengers on the service levels on various Tube lines. This has caused delays for passengers, and led to bottlenecks in the system meaning overcrowding and unpleasant travel conditions.

Understandably, this has led to many passengers becoming frustrated. Some of those passengers have then taken out their anger on London Underground staff. Indeed, workers on the Tube have reported enduring threats and even assaults by members of the public.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT, said: “Abuse of service information to create a misleading picture as to what is running and what isn’t immediately throws our members on the stations and platforms into a confrontational situation as angry passengers realise they have been misled.”

The union wants an end to this practice. “You cannot cover up the impact of cuts to jobs and finances by throwing up a barrage of misinformation,” said Crow. “It might suit the senior managers, but it is front line staff who are left to take the flak at station level.”