Chaos for commuters as London Underground staff to go on strike
London Underground workers, including drivers, are to stage a series of strikes next month in a dispute over pay – prompting misery for London commuters.
Trade union Aslef – representing thousands of Tube drivers – has ordered 24-hour walkouts on Thursday November 7 and Tuesday November 12.
Around 98 per cent of members balloted voted for strike action, six months after a pay deal for 2024 should have been agreed, the union says.
Reps claim Transport for London (TfL) bosses are refusing to get around the table – but London’s transport boss says he has made a ‘fair’ offer that sees an average pay rise of 4.9 per cent across the board.
The walkouts are almost certain to shut down the entire Tube network as drivers refuse to turn up to work.
Aslef had called off strikes in April following talks over driver welfare, training and working conditions – but the union says it is unhappy with the pay deal on offer.
It claims TfL is unwilling to equalise working conditions with drivers on the Overground or Elizabeth Line, which are run by external companies,
Tube drivers are to go on strike next month, Aslef has said, after discussions around pay broke down
The strikes will take place on two days in November (pictured: Aslef and RMT workers striking outside an Underground station in March last year)
Andy Lord, TfL commissioner (left, pictured with Sadiq Khan), said the offer made to the trade unions was ‘fair’
Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s full-time organiser on London Underground, said: ‘We don’t want to go on strike. We don’t want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don’t want to lose a day’s pay.
‘But we have been forced into this position because LU management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.’
Industrial action extends in part to other Aslef-affiliated members of staff within TfL.
Management staff will go to work on November 7 and November 12, but an overtime ban will be in place from November 3 until November 16.
Engineering drivers will also walk out for 24 hours from the evening of Friday November 1 to Saturday November 2, with an overtime ban in place between November 1 and November 8.
Details of the strikes were revealed by Andy Lord, commissioner of TfL, as the latest board meeting got underway this morning.
He said: ‘I’m disappointed that Aslef and RMT members have voted in favour of industrial action following our recent discussions over pay.
‘Additionally it’s extremely disappointing that Aslef have announced two days of industrial action in November on London Underground despite our offer being fair and reasonable.
‘We’ve held several constructive discussions with our trade unions and after considering their feedback we’ve made a revised offer with an average uplift of 4.6 per cent.
‘This rewards our staff for their hard work and benefits the lowest paid staff the most. In additional, train operators will see an unlift of 4.5 per cent based on their current salary.
‘This is in line with what Aslef and RMT agreed with other DfT and train operating companies on the National Rail network.
‘We believe that our offer is fair for our people, affordable for London and we urge trade unions to continue working with us to support London and avoid any unnecessary and damaging industrial action.’
TfL was contacted for further comment.
This is a breaking story – more to follow.
