Posted on August 26, 2010 by Fiona Hilliard

Heading to London this autumn?

Hope you’ve booked your London car hire!

The city looks set to come to a standstill if  the first of a series of strikes by Rail Maritime and Transport union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association go ahead on September 6.

Operations will also be suspended on October 3, November 2 and November 28.

It’s no coincidence that the work stoppages will coincide with the House of Commons returning after the summer break.

Business leaders have already warned that strike action will cost the London economy a whopping £48 million a day and severely hamper the economic recovery.

London’s Tube strikes will be the first big industrial test for the coalition.  The group was spared an airport strike earlier this month when Unite trade union and BAA came to an agreement.

Maintenance and engineering staff will be involved in the first stoppage, with other actions planned at the same time on October 3, November 2 and November 28.

A host of other workers including Tube drivers, signallers and station staff will strike for 24 hours between 9pm on September 6 followed by walkouts at the same time on October 3, November 2 and November 28.