Tube strike likely as talks fail

A 24-HOUR strike on the London Underground is likely to go ahead tomorrow night after the collapse of talks at the arbitration service Acas.

Officials from the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and managers from London Underground spent a second day at Acas to try to settle the pay dispute. But a brief statement issued by Acas yesterday said: 'The talks have broken up without an agreement being reached and there are no plans for another meeting.'

Almost 8,000 RMT members on London Underground are now set to stage a 24-hour walkout from 7.30pm tomorrow. RMT members who work as station staff, signallers and train drivers have rejected London Underground's 'final' 2.5 per cent pay offer.