London Underground workers to strike in November amid pay dispute

Rail passengers can expect travel disruption in November after the Aslef union announced strikes by London Underground train drivers over a long-running pay dispute.

Alongside train drivers, management grade staff will strike on 7 and 12 November with engineering drivers due to walk out for 24 hours from 6pm on 1 November.

Aslef’s district organiser, Finn Brennan, 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 [London Underground] management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.”

Members of the Aslef union voted by over 98 per cent in favour of strike action.

Mr Brennan added that management is “still refusing to even discuss key elements of our claim” including reducing the working week and introducing paid meal relief for Underground drivers.

Aslef is seeking a pay agreement with London Underground. The union said the previous offer of a 3.8 per cent pay rise and a variable lump sum would mean Tube drivers would be underpaid compared to other TfL drivers while working longer hours.

Other workers are also banning overtime in November.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), announced that its members, including signalling and station staff, will strike on dates between 1 and 8 November after rejecting a “wholly inadequate” pay offer.

Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said: “London Underground’s pay offer falls short of what our members deserve. It threatens to remove collective bargaining for a growing portion of staff, pushing them into pay bands that are decided solely by management. This undermines our members’ rights and the core principles of fair negotiation.

“No trade union can accept any pay proposal where management decides which of our members gets a pay rise and those who do not.”

Maintenance workers will strike on 1 November with other union members including signalling and station staff taking action from 6 to 8 November.

The RMT estimates around 10,000 of its members are involved in the dispute.

A TfL spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that Aslef and the RMT have announced industrial action following our recent discussions over pay, terms and conditions. We have held several constructive discussions with our trade unions and, after considering their feedback, have made a revised offer with an average uplift of 4.6 per cent, which rewards our staff for their hard work and benefits the lowest-paid staff the most.

“We are engaging with our unions in good faith, having increased our offer since talks began, and have invited our unions to meet again next week. Our offer is fair for our people and affordable for London, and we urge our unions to continue working with us to support London and the wider economy.”

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