RMT union secures inflation-busting ‘no strings’ pay deal for London Underground employees after holding capital to ransom with Tube strikes
The RMT union has secured an inflation-busting pay deal for London Underground workers after the capital was held to ransom by Tube strikes.
According to the union, this new deal will see Tube workers’ wages rise by at least 8.9 per cent over the next three years.
This will be tied to the to the retail price index (RPI) which typically runs higher than Consumer Price Index (CPI) – which is the index used to measure inflation by the Government.
Currently, the CPI is 3.8 percent while RPI – a dilapidated measure that includes housing costs – runs at 4.5 per cent.
With this pay deal, a Tube driver could be earning roughly £77,000 a year by 2027.
It came following ‘sustained’ negotiations with Transport for London and after the RMT brought the capital to a standstill when their members staged a five-day walkout in September.
At the time, Tube workers were demanding a boost to their pay packets – despite drivers already being on £71,170 per year – as well as a reduction from a 35 -hour working week to a four-day, 32-hour system.
The agreement includes commitments to address work-life balance among staff such as by introducing ‘fatigue friendly’ rosters, further discussions on staff travel, and a Boxing Day payment of £400.
Commuters clamour to board a National Rail train after the Tube strikes brought London to a standstill in September
Queues of Londoners wait to board the Elizabeth Line at Liverpool Street during September’s strike action. At the time, Tube workers were demanding a boost to their pay packets – despite drivers already being on £71,170 per year
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘This deal is a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of strike action and strong negotiation by our members.
‘It is significant that RMT has secured a long-term RPI (inflation) deal that departs from the recent industry approach of linking pay to flawed productivity discussions and measures of inflation that do not include housing costs.
‘More widely, RMT members will expect to see a similar approach in other parts of the transport industry.’
A Transport for London spokesperson said: ‘We welcome the decision from the RMT to accept our pay offer.
‘This multi-year offer is fair, affordable and provides certainty for our colleagues over pay for several years.
‘We are engaging with all of our unions on this offer and look forward to their responses.’
TfL said the offer was a 3.4 per cent pay rise in year one, next February’s RPI inflation rate in year two and RPI inflation in February 2027 plus 0.2 per cent in year three.
No changes have been proposed to working hours, it added.
