London faces significant transport disruption following a decision by the RMT union to launch eight 24-hour strikes across the Underground network. The industrial action, scheduled over 16 days, includes six strikes strategically timed in the lead-up to the Christmas holiday period. The protests stem from opposition to new plans for a four-day working week, which Transport for London (TfL) proposed as a voluntary shift pattern. Similar, highly disruptive strikes took place in London in April and June, despite TfL insisting the proposals were completely voluntary and the plans having been fully endorsed by the main drivers union, Aslef.
The series of walkouts is set to commence at noon on 26 November. Further disruption is expected during the critical final shopping weekend before Christmas, with strikes occurring from noon on Thursday 17 December and again on Saturday 19 December. The union has also slated additional walkouts for early January and February.
General secretary of the RMT, Eddie Dempsey, criticized the proposal, claiming it serves as an attempt to “dress up a wholesale attack on drivers’ working conditions as a voluntary four-day week.
The union argues the policy would “undermine existing agreements and worsen working conditions” by forcing staff into longer, less predictable shifts. RMT leadership contends the scheme is designed to increase output from fewer workers at the expense of established staff protections. It believes the proposals would worsen shift times and certainty. “Our members are being asked to spend more time driving trains, accept longer and more unpredictable shifts and surrender agreements that have been negotiated and defended over many years.
In contrast, Transport for London maintains that the proposed four-day option is entirely voluntary and designed to improve work-life balance while boosting service efficiency. Nick Dent, TfL’s director of customer operations, stated that the organization has engaged with unions for months to refine these plans. He added that drivers who prefer to keep their existing arrangements are guaranteed the right to remain on a five-day week at their current depots.
The plans have found support elsewhere; the majority of drivers represented by the Aslef union have reportedly welcomed the four-day week proposal. Despite this, the RMT remains unsatisfied, asserting that it has not received sufficient formal guarantees regarding the preservation of current five-day working rights.
Business leaders have expressed alarm at the potential impact of the strikes. Karim Fatehi, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, described the news as “deeply concerning.” He highlighted that the days preceding Christmas are vital for the city’s economy, as thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of visitors rely on stable transport links during the festive season.
The chamber has publicly urged the RMT to reconsider its stance, citing the potential for significant economic damage to the capital. While previous strike action earlier this year led to widespread network disruption, the majority of lines remained operational. TfL continues to call on the union to present the latest proposal directly to its membership for a vote.
