Transport for London (TfL) is warning passengers that London Underground will run little or no service between the evening of Sunday 7 January and the morning of Friday 12 January, as RMT members will strike in support of an inflation-proof pay rise.
TfL will try to run services, but expects at least the following disruption:
- Sunday 7 January: Tube services will end earlier than normal; TfL advises passengers to complete Tube journeys by 17:30, but TfL will try to keep lines serving the Emirates stadium open until 19:30, and advises football fans to make their way straight to the trains after the match.
- Monday 8 to Thursday 11 January: severe disruption, with little to no Tube service running.
- Friday 12 January: Tube services will start later than usual, with a good service expected by 12:00.
Workers on London Overground, Elizabeth line, Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Tram services will not be striking, so these services will run, but the operators may make last-minute changes, including trains not stopping at some stations shared with London Underground. Buses will also operate a normal service. However, all these services will be much busier than usual and TfL is advising passengers to check before they travel.
TfL and RMT continue to negotiate over pay and working conditions improvements that were due to come into force on 1 April last year. TfL made what it calls “a full and final offer ” in November, to increase pay by five percent.
However, London Underground pay rises are based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) figure in February of each year, which stood at 13.8% last February. RMT is also aggrieved that TfL has not made any offer on other parts of its claim, for example reducing working hours and increasing pay more for staff in lower-paid grades.
Of the four trade unions recognised by London Underground Ltd, only ASLEF has accepted the offer, with RMT, Unite and TSSA rejecting it.
TfL has promised to keep people informed through station announcements, posters, emails and social media. Up-to-date information is available from status updates, Journey Planner and TfL Go. Travel advice for the planned strike action is available here.
Online tools are available to plan walking journeys. Santander Cycles will be available, with efforts made to distribute bikes at key locations according to demand. Rental e-scooters are also available to hire in some London boroughs.
Glynn Barton, TfL's Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are disappointed that RMT is planning strike action in response to our offer of a five per cent pay increase. We have been clear throughout our productive discussions with our trade unions that this offer is the most we can afford while ensuring that we can operate safely, reliably and sustainably. We encourage the RMT to engage with us to avoid disruption for Londoners. We would like to advise anyone travelling during the strike days to check before they travel.”
Announcing the strike two weeks ago, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that Tube workers were not going to accept poor offers and the continual undermining of conditions, adding that, “The refusal of TfL to restore staff travel facilities and create a two-tier workforce is also unacceptable. Our members have made it clear that they are prepared to take action and we urge TfL to enter into meaningful conciliatory talks to avert disruption in the capital”.
The Tories anti-strike laws cannot come quickly enough for those who have to constantly put up with this. Khan never stands up to the unions.