Tube bosses have been criticised after agreeing to pay a £350 “bung” to prevent a Boxing Day walk-out by Tube drivers.
Drivers have taken industrial action on each of the previous three Boxing Days. To prevent action this year, 800 staff will each receive a bonus for working on the Bank Holiday.
London Underground says the payment is part of a “cost-neutral deal” which will give it “greater flexibility” over staffing in the long term.
The payment was agreed in August but only announced this week.
Conservative London Assembly member Richard Tracey has condemned the deal and renewed calls for the Government to ban tube strikes and replace them with an independent mediation process.
He said: “TfL should not be in a position where they feel they have no choice but to pay a bung of £280K of fare payer and taxpayer money in order to stop union bosses holding London to ransom on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
“Since when has a £46K starting salary and 43 days of holiday a year not been enough for tube drivers? This proves that even when strike action does not go ahead, the threat is often used by union bosses to make Londoners suffer.”
