London Underground workers are to strike this weekend over the dismissal of a colleague who failed two breathalyser tests.
The RMT trade union has confirmed employees will walk out from 21:30 on Saturday 7 March until 03:59 the following morning.
Members earlier this year backed industrial action over the sacking of the operator by 299 votes to 221, with the union having questioned the effectiveness of the breathalyser test used.
However London Underground said it ‘would not be swayed’ from its current approach by this latest wave of industrial action and stood behind the effectiveness of equipment being used.
The dismissed train operator had failed two unannounced random breath alcohol tests in June last year. At the time, several other employees were tested and all passed the test.
Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, Caroline Pidgeon, last month said that a decision to strike over the issue would be an ‘insult’ to Tube passengers.
Nick Brown, chief operating officer of London Underground London Underground said: ‘This indefensible strike is about one RMT member dismissed for failing two alcohol breath tests. We will not be swayed by it as we will never compromise on the safety of our customers and staff.
‘You wouldn't let someone who had been drinking alcohol drive your family in a car, and we don't let people who have been drinking alcohol drive people's families in Tube trains.
‘Less than a quarter of the RMT members eligible to vote for strike action did so. For the RMT leadership to announce a strike regardless shows how completely out of touch they are, just as the timing demonstrates that they know they have very little support from their members on this issue. Should they go through with this action, it will achieve nothing and we'll work to ensure Londoners are kept informed and can still get around.’
RMT general secretary Mick Cash told members the decision marked ‘the first stage as part of a rolling programme of industrial action’.
‘I urge all RMT London Underground Train Operators and Instructor Operators to stand firm together against this, and any future, injustices against RMT members,’ Mr Cash added.
