The RMT union has said that strikes will happen this week on the London Underground.
On Tuesday, April 21, at noon, tube drivers will go on strike for 24 hours. They will do the same thing on Thursday, April 23. On May 19 and 21, and June 16 and 18, there will be more strikes.
The union says that the employers at Transport for London broke their agreement to “renegotiate in good faith,” which meant that a strike was “inevitable.”
The RMT says that TfL moved forward with plans to make the work week shorter to four days, even though majority drivers said they didn’t want this in two separate ballots.
General secretary Eddie Dempsey said, “TfL’s approach will not lead to industrial peace and will make our members angry because they want to see a negotiated settlement to this avoidable dispute.”
The strikes will mean that most lines will have very limited service for four days this week, which might make it hard for people to go to work.
RMT cancelled planned strikes in March after London Underground promised to talk about the four-day workweek issue.
Most drivers would have their work week cut from 36 hours to 35 hours under the plan.
The hours of labour would stay the same, but drivers would have to work longer days for fewer days a week and fewer hours altogether.
Last month, members of the Aslef union, which represents 85% of Tube drivers, voted in favour of the revised plans. They are due to come into force in 2027.
TfL’s chief operating officer, Claire Mann, stated that the plans will provide train operators an extra day off and bring the London Underground’s work hours in line with those of other train operating firms.
“The adjustments would be optional, and there would be no cut in hours worked under the contract. People who choose to keep working five days a week would be entitled to do so.
“We ask the RMT to stop this action, which will cause problems for people in London, and keep talking to us.”
“Customers should check before they travel if this strike goes ahead, because some days during the strike there will be a lot of problems and the level of service we can offer will be different on different lines.”