Since the first lockdown in March 2020, transport workers have worked to maintain vital services in transporting health and other key workers, medicines, food and much more in response to the global pandemic. As passenger numbers dramatically dropped (as low as 5% of pre-pandemic numbers), workers have delivered service as close to the maximum to facilitate social distancing on journeys.
Brixton based Tube driver Unjum Mirza spoke exclusively to Asian Voice as London awaits to breathe in a new normal sometime next month.
Commenting on what the government could have done better and averted the rising cases of Covid-19, especially Delta variant, Mirza said, “The government's response was slow while its strategy was criminal. Initially, the government followed a strategy of "herd immunity" endangering thousands upon thousands of lives. Since then, the government has failed to follow a strategy to suppress and eliminate the virus, favouring instead to manage and mitigate. This has allowed the virus to further adapt and mutate with devastating consequences in a second wave commencing last year resulting in 150,000 avoidable deaths.”
Standing with TFL, Mirza further said, “On London Underground, the employer has followed the government advice throughout. Fortunately, the unions have organised independently and fought to keep the workplace as safe as possible while we offered our efforts and solidarity to our NHS staff in the battle to save lives.”
Are the growing number of Delta variant cases worrisome for a front liner? He said, “Presently, we appear to be entering a third wave caused by the now dominant Delta (formerly known as "Indian") variant which is growing at an increasingly exponential rate. While the vaccines will hopefully assist in reducing the number of fatalities, the likelihood is that the NHS will struggle as the number of hospital admissions rise.
“As a workforce, we are also organising an industrial response (including strike action if necessary) against government proposed cuts in transport which include cuts to services. These cuts can only undermine our efforts in assisting our colleagues in the health service to save lives, both now and in the future. With passenger numbers rising to 60% on London Underground trains, maintaining social distance on trains during a third wave is increasingly impossible and therefore hindering our efforts in cutting the chains of transmission of the virus,” he told the newsweekly.
Will we ever be able to travel in full capacity on the London Underground without having to worry about the virus? He said, “Most agree that we cannot return to the pre-pandemic past - we need a new normal. But that new normal can only be won through mass struggles against a homicidal government and employers who aim to make us pay for the Covid crisis.”
