Unions and TfL must sort 'poor relations' before Games

Today's London Assembly report certainly makes some valid points and raises concerns that transport is a serious issue for the Olympics.

It highlights how important TfL's (TfL) persuasion campaign will be to get travellers and companies to change long-established travel habits.

Without Londoners changing the way they get around the transport system will struggle to cope.

It also shows there is real pressure on getting the Jubilee line upgrade to work plus the loss of a Northern line upgrade - which initially was meant to be ready by 2012 - is a blow.

But there is another issue that this report doesn't mention and that is the workforce and industrial relations.

Union members have told me that many workers in London Underground are extremely upset and angry at the way they have been treated over the recent ticket office closures.

And, I've been told there is a growing feeling amongst members that they should shut the system down for the Olympics. The word one union man used was "revenge".

Union members are said to be upset over recent decisions

Now clearly that's not the viewpoint of the executives of the three unions who are still talking to TfL about the Olympics, but it does indicate the strength of feeling.

These members know how embarrassing a strike next summer could be.

So, as well as the issues with infrastructure, there will be lots of negotiations ahead with the transport unions.

Industrial relations are poor at the moment. It is difficult to see the unions giving up the biggest bargaining chip of a lifetime without considerable benefit.

Infrastructure is one thing, but it wouldn't surprise me if the real issue - before we even get to the Games - will be industrial relations.