Planned London Underground driver strikes scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday were suspended after last-minute talks between Transport for London and the RMT union. The 24-hour stoppage due to start at midday on Tuesday and a second walkout on Thursday were called off following a significant shift in negotiations by London Underground management. The RMT said the employer moved at the 11th hour to allow further discussions about new working arrangements, fatigue, and safety. The dispute remains unresolved, and further strike action could follow if progress is insufficient. The conflict centers on a proposed voluntary four-day working week, reducing most drivers’ hours from 36 to 35 while keeping pay. The union instead seeks a 32-hour week across four days with no pay reduction.
"Planned strikes by London Underground drivers due to begin this week have been suspended following last-minute talks between Transport for London and the RMT union, sparing commuters across the capital from major disruption. The industrial action, which was due to begin with a 24-hour stoppage at midday on Tuesday, followed by a second walkout on Thursday, had threatened widespread travel chaos across large parts of the Tube network. However, the RMT confirmed on Monday that the strikes had been called off after what it described as a significant shift in negotiations by London Underground management."
"An RMT spokesman said the employer had moved "at the 11th hour", allowing further discussions over concerns relating to new working arrangements, fatigue and safety. "The dispute is not over, and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress," the union warned. The row centres on proposals by Transport for London to introduce a voluntary four-day working week for Tube drivers."
"Under the proposals, most drivers would see their working week reduced from 36 hours to 35 hours while maintaining existing pay levels. TfL argues the change would improve work-life balance while helping modernise staffing patterns across the network. But union officials have raised concerns about the structure of the proposed shifts, warning that longer working days could increase fatigue and pose safety risks. The RMT has instead pushed for a 32-hour working week across four days with no reduction in salary."
"Nick Dent, director of customer operations for London Underground, welcomed the suspension of industrial action, describing it as "good news for London". "Our proposal for a voluntary four-day week is designed to improve both work-life balance for drivers and the reliability of service for customers," he said. "We look forward to further discussions on the implementation of these proposals with all of our trade unions.""
#london-underground #rmt-union #strike-action #working-week-and-shift-patterns #transport-for-london
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