5:07pm Monday 4th August 2008
By James Nadal
LONDON Underground workers at Amersham and Chesham tube stations will strike on Thursday in a dispute over job relocations.
Recently employed staff are aggrieved that they may have to move again after rail bosses decided they "had made a mistake" and were not needed, according to RMT union executive Oliver New.
Although the 24 hour strike does not involve train drivers, it could mean the stations are forced to close and that there will be no service.
The stations affected are on the Metropolitan line from Harrow-on-the-Hill northwards to Amersham, Chesham and Chalfont and Latimer.
Union executive Oliver New said: "We are willing to discuss it with them as a trade union but we have got to the point where they are not willing to talk.
"We could allow them to be dictatorial or we stand up to them. The problem is not local management it's central management trying to be tough.
"We can't quite understand it because it's normal people and there are solutions."
Staff will be picketing from early on the morning of the strike at Rickmansworth station.
"A TfL spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that the RMT have voted in favour of strike action as it serves no purpose whatsoever. Five members of staff are being transferred to stations on the network which have vacancies."
Mr New added: "Some staff may have to give up their jobs - it's not simply a matter of inconvenience."
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