London Tube driver strike to disrupt key Tube lines

The London Tube driver strike is due to start at midday. London Underground has warned of significant disruption as the first of two 24-hour walkouts gets under way. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The action involves members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union. The union represents about half of Tube drivers. According to RMT, the dispute centres on a voluntary Transport for London (TfL) proposal. It would allow train operators to move to a compressed four-day week. The union says the planned shift pattern would make working days too long. It says that would risk driver fatigue and compromise safety.

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Meanwhile, TfL has described the industrial action as “completely unnecessary”. At the same time, Aslef, the other Tube driver union, backs the proposal. It has called it “exactly the sort every trade union should be trying to achieve”.

London Tube driver strike and service disruption

The first strike runs from 12:00 on Tuesday for 24 hours. In addition, a second 24-hour stoppage is due to begin on Thursday and end at midday on Friday, as Railway Supply noted.

According to TfL, the strike will shut the Piccadilly and Circle lines entirely. It will also close the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate. Meanwhile, Central line services will not run between White City and Liverpool Street. Other lines that remain open are expected to operate with a significantly reduced service.

Separately, London Underground said disruption would be “significant” on most Tube lines. Still, it said the impact would not be as severe as during the September strikes. Both RMT and Aslef members took part in those walkouts.

Dispute over a compressed four-day week

The compressed four-day week plan is being trialled voluntarily on the Bakerloo line. Under the proposal, most drivers would see their working week cut from 36 hours to 35 hours. In addition, their contractual hours would stay the same because paid meal breaks would be introduced.

Still, the RMT said the longer days risked driver fatigue. It instead called for a 32-hour, four-day week on the same salary.

Jared Wood is the union’s London transport regional organiser. He said negotiations with TfL had left members feeling “there is absolutely no alternative but to proceed with the strike action”.

TfL said drivers could stay on a five-day week if they wanted to. It said the change was voluntary. It also urged the union to call off the strikes. Also, an Aslef spokesperson said the union was “surprised” the RMT was striking. The spokesperson added: “It will be the first strike in the history of the trade union movement designed to stop people having a shorter working week and more time off”.

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