Platinum Jubilee held to ransom as Tube staff stage ‘monstrous’ bank holiday strike

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations are being held to ransom as Tube workers announced a bank holiday walkout aimed at maximising disruption to Buckingham Palace visitors.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union based at Green Park and Euston stations will walk out on June 3, the second day of the celebrations.

Mick Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, said: "Our strike on June 3 will cause significant disruption to people wishing to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee.”

The action - targeting a station close to Buckingham Palace and another which serves as a major hub for those arriving by train, was called over a dispute with management - who are accused of creating a “toxic environment” through “years of sustained bullying and intimidation”.

The announcement of the proposed strike came after it emerged nine of the 16 rail companies running routes into London had advised passengers to “check before you travel”, due to engineering works over the four-day jubilee.

Number 10 criticises strike during Jubilee

Downing Street criticised the RMT action for coming at a time when the nation will be uniting to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years of service.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "I don't think we want to see any disruption to London's transport system at such a moment when people are trying to come together to honour this jubilee year."

Mr Lynch said: "The union has tried in vain to reason with management, but they now will not let local representatives be part of a review into dismissals at the stations."

He added that if “Tube bosses do the right thing, and deal appropriately” with the management problem, a “just resolution” could be found to avoid strike action.

A Transport for London spokesman said it expected to keep both stations open during the strike.

She said: "We hold our people to high standards and ensure everyone is treated fairly. We're aware of this dispute and are carrying out an urgent review in a bid to resolve it.

"We have had a number of meetings with the RMT and are urging them not to take strike action and to continue working with us to find a resolution."

Strike 'shows great disrespect to the monarchy'

Royal commentators rounded on the union for using the jubilee as a bargaining tool in their industrial dispute.

Penny Junor, who has written numerous books about the royals, described the action as “monstrous”.

“I think it shows great disrespect to the monarchy,” she said. “It’s extraordinary that they’re holding a gun to their employer’s head and using the jubilee as leverage in this dispute.

“The jubilee is an occasion when the whole country comes together to celebrate a remarkable woman and her 70 years on the throne. Now, people including tourists won’t be able to get to the palace because of the strike.”

Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said the RMT was using the royal event to “maximise” publicity for its campaign.

He said: “Thankfully, on that day there won’t be a huge amount of activity around Buckingham Palace because of the thanksgiving service at St Paul’s, but that’s not the point. They are using the jubilee as a bargaining tool.”

The four-day Bank Holiday weekend of celebrations will run from Thursday, June 2 to Sunday, June 5.

On Friday, a service of thanksgiving will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral when Great Paul, the largest bell in the country, will be rung.

Visitors to Buckingham Palace who want to avoid Green Park station can instead use St James’s Park, Victoria, Westminster, Hyde Park Corner and Charing Cross.