Rail union leader says dispute could lead to national strike

The leader of a rail union said last night that all-out strikes could spread to the national rail network and London Underground if managers disciplined staff who stopped work because of safety fears during the firefighters' action.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, spoke after tens of thousands of commuters endured a second day of misery on the Tube when more than 100 drivers refused to operate trains.

A quarter of the capital's Tube lines suffered disruption throughout the day as the shortage of staff caused many cancellations during the morning and evening rush hours.

Mr Crow announced a ballot of all 7,000 Underground staff when management refused to guarantee that no worker would be disciplined for their actions. The ballot could trigger action next month.

But in a move that will infuriate Downing Street, Mr Crow widened his plans to warn that he had informed all train operating companies that they faced similar ballots under health and safety law.

Speaking to Channel 4 News last night, the RMT leader said: "We've written to every train operating company today and told them if our members don't wish to work because they feel unsafe, they are not withdrawing their labour they are asking to do alternative work ... we will ballot those companies as well.

"Our trade union position is that we support the Fire Brigades Union in getting £30,000. We believe fire brigade workers and nurses deserve £30,000. But we can't take secondary action. I think the Labour Party should repeal the anti-trade union laws so we can have secondary action and we wouldn't have to have a ballot. But at this moment in time we have to have a ballot in law."

Travellers suffered long waits when one route, the Circle line, was suspended completely and up to half the services were cancelled on the Northern, Piccadilly and Hammersmith and City lines. The worst delays were on the Northern line, where 41 of an average 61 trains per hour were running, and the Piccadilly, where just over half of 65 trains per hour ran.

Bob Kiley, London's Transport Commissioner, said: "This threat of industrial action is groundless. Millions of Londoners believe the Tube is safe and so do 99 per cent of its staff.

"The RMT should stop this cynical posturing. There is simply no reason for a strike."

Mr Crow said workers were being intimidated by London Underground managers but LU rejected the claim. Drivers had been redeployed to platform duties and helping customers. One member of platform staff in a deep-level station had been moved to a post at ground level, it added. Twenty-two stations, which had been fully or partly closed because they have only lift or stair access, were reopened to passengers last night.