Tube row turns capital against right to strike

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Tube walkouts have had a divisive effect on Britons' views on the right to strike, a Metro poll has shown.

Last month's action has galvanised the opinions of Londoners, with just 23 per cent believing any worker has the right to down tools compared with 62 per cent in Wales and 53 in the North East.

Just 13 per cent of people in the capital supported the Underground workers' action while 41 per cent said transport staff should be banned from striking.

This second figure compared with eight per cent in Yorkshire and 17 per cent in the country as a whole.

And the Tube strike had a knock on effect on Londoners views on the right of other essential services to take ­industrial action.

They gave the highest regional proportion of positive responses when asked if emergency workers, medics and teachers should be banned from striking.

'Still raw from the recent tube strike, Londoners are significantly less tolerant and supportive of critical industries having the right to strike,' said Harris pollster Caterina Gerlotto.

The nationwide poll of more than 1,100 people was carried out in the last week of June – two weeks after Tube staff walked out over job cuts.

RMT union boss Bob Crow said: 'Despite a loaded question and in the teeth of a hostile, one-sided press, nearly 60 per cent of Londoners support RMT's fundamental right to take action.'

Business secretary Lord Mandelson told Metro he had no plans to ban strikes but warned unions against taking hasty industrial action.