UPDATE: THESE STRIKES HAVE NOW BEEN CALLED OFF
Happy New Year — and what better way to celebrate than with a week of tube strikes.
With various members of the RMT union due to strike between 5-11 January 2024, TfL has warned of 'severe disruption' across the London Underground network, saying that passengers should only travel if their journey is essential.
When are the strikes?
Different union members are striking on different days, as set out below.
- 5-6 Jan: engineering train drivers (that is, drivers of engineering trains) go on strike
- 7-8 Jan: LUL network control staff go on strike
- 8 and 10 Jan: strike action across the board (engineering, fleet maintenance, stations and train operators)
- 9 and 11 Jan: signalling and service control staff go on strike
TfL has also warned that disruption will run into the morning of 12 January, after the last strike is over.
What's the damage?
Substantial. In fact, TfL has even released an infographic this time (see above), so passengers can see just how serious this is. Particularly from Monday 8-Thursday 11 January, there's going to be a significant impact to tube services.
On the upside, the Elizabeth line, London Overground, DLR, London Trams and London buses will operate pretty much as normal, although TfL warns they may be subject to last-minute changes and will be much busier than usual.
Why are the strikes happening?
RMT isn't happy with the 5% pay increase that TfL is offering. It says it's below inflation, and that, meanwhile, TfL has created a bonus pot of £13 million for senior managers, thus creating what RMT general secretary Mick Lynch calls a "two-tier workforce."
Will the strike be called off?
This has happened a few times recently, so we can hope. TfL tells us: "Talks between TfL and RMT are currently ongoing as TfL seeks to try and avoid this planned strike action." That said, TfL is also adamant that its last offer was its final one (and that the same offer was accepted by members of the ASLEF union, therefore, why shouldn't the RMT be satisfied with that too?). So there's some serious digging in of heels going on this time around.
