Rolling strike action will commence on the London Underground (LU) starting on Friday, September 5, for a duration of seven days, as announced by the RMT union. The union asserts that management has not adequately addressed issues related to pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns, and requests for a reduced working week. RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey has highlighted concerns over employee health and well-being related to fatigue and shift rotations.
Transport for London (TfL) has responded by urging the RMT to present what they describe as a fair and affordable pay offer to their members. A TfL spokesperson stated that they regularly engage with trade unions to address concerns and have recently met with the RMT regarding specific points of contention. They mentioned a proposed 3.4% pay increase and progress on previous commitments, while asserting that a reduction of the 35-hour working week is not practical or affordable.
The RMT has claimed that a “dismissive approach” from management has resulted in anger and distrust among staff. Different grades of workers will participate in the strike at various times, indicating a coordinated effort across multiple roles, including drivers, engineers, track access controllers, and control center staff.
In addition to the London Underground, workers on the Docklands Light Railway are also expected to engage in strike action during the week beginning September 7 over similar pay and conditions issues. Dempsey has indicated that the RMT will continue discussions with LU management with the aim of negotiating a revised offer.
Specific strike timelines include walkouts from midnight on September 8 to September 9, and again after midnight on September 10 for various roles. Signallers and service control staff will strike on September 9, with further action planned for September 11 involving different groups. The last RMT strike on the London Underground occurred in November 2024.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn728er5p1mo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss