Last ditch talks aim to avert London underground strike

By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Last minute talks were under way on Tuesday to avert a 24-hour strike by drivers and staff on London's underground train network which would bring the network to a complete standstill and cause chaos for millions of commuters and tourists. Members of four unions are due to walk out on Wednesday evening in a dispute over plans for a new night service on the world's oldest underground passenger railway, known as the "Tube." From mid-September, London Underground (LU) plans to introduce 24-hour services at weekends on some lines and stations, which it said would support 2,000 new jobs and boost the city's economy by 360 million pounds ($555 million). However, unions said despite months of talks, they had failed to reach an agreement with management over pay and other issues such as safety of staff. On Monday, they rejected a final offer from LU bosses, which included an average 2 percent pay rise, a 2,000 pound "transition bonus" for night-time drivers and a 500-pound one-off payment. Unions said this payment was only available to some staff, and that workers were being asked to accept a deal without knowing its full implications. "Our representatives on London Underground have discussed it and are clear that it is divisive and unacceptable," said RMT General Secretary Mick Cash. Further negotiations were taking place on Tuesday to try to reach a deal. If they fail, members from three unions representing station staff, the RMT, TSSA and Unite, will begin a 24-hour strike at 17.30 GMT on Wednesday. Three hours later they will be joined by members of Aslef which represents train drivers. LU, which said it had hired an extra 137 night drivers, said the action would mean no services would be running from late afternoon on Wednesday nor on Thursday. "Many of our staff will not be affected by the new services as we are operating Friday and Saturday night services on five lines," said Steve Griffiths, London Underground’s Chief Operating Officer. "For those who are affected, it will mean a few extra nights per year within the existing working week." If the strike goes ahead, it would be the first major walkout since Prime Minister David Cameron regained power, promising his new government would bring in laws to make it harder for those working in essential public services, such as transport, to take industrial action. (Editing by Stephen Addison)