TRANSPORT for London is urging the rail unions to return to talks at the conciliation service Acas as the dispute over 800 Underground job losses continues, but the RMT union has announced fresh restrictions as the next 24-hour strike approaches.

Discussions on Wednesday broke up without agreement after six hours of talks with the RMT and TSSA. There has already been one 24-hour strike, on 6-7 September, during which only about 40% of trains ran and many stations remained closed.

TfL was hoping to return to Acas today, after Wednesday's fruitless meeting.

London Underground chief operating officer Howard Collins said: “We were, once again, faced with the demand that we withdraw our staffing plans before talks can progress. With some ticket offices now selling fewer than ten tickets per hour London Underground needs to change, and we cannot agree to this demand. Despite their claims that this dispute is about safety, the unions’ leaderships have not even tried to make any case to us that these proposals impact upon safety standards.

“We have assured the unions’ leaderships that our plans have no impact on safety standards and have given a cast-iron guarantee that these plans involve no compulsory redundancies or loss of earnings. We have assured them again that every station that has a ticket office now will have one in future, and all stations will be staffed at all times.

“We remain ready and willing to discuss any aspect of our proposals, including any specific safety concerns.”

However, the RMT has instead announced details of the action its members are being instructed to take on 3-4 October, when a second 24-hour walkout is scheduled.

The union’s general secretary Bob Crow said: “We have made every effort to resolve this dispute over safe staffing levels through negotiations and continue to pursue a settlement that will protect the safety of both staff and passengers and the quality of service to Tube users at all times and at all locations. Following talks at Acas it is now up to London Underground management to come back to us with a positive response.

“Our members have shown their determination to defend the ticket offices, safety-critical station jobs and the whole future of a safe and secure tube network and we have announced the additional action to push that campaign forwards.

“The Mayor and his transport officials cannot simply wash their hands of this dispute. Boris Johnson has said that he will stand up and fight for London against the ConDem government cuts – that’s exactly what RMT and TSSA members are doing on the tube right in the Mayor’s own back yard. Rather than attacking us the Mayor, as Chair of TfL, should instruct his officials to put safety first and withdraw the cuts that they are bulldozing through without agreement and with complete disregard for the consequences.”

As well as striking, union members will refuse to handle £5 basic Oyster top-ups or deputise for higher-graded colleagues. An indefinite overtime ban is also continuing.