London Tube strikes announced for Easter as Aslef workers to walk out in April and May
London commuters will face disruption in April and May following the Aslef Union announcing new dates for Underground walk-outs.
Aslef said tube drivers in the union backed strikes on Monday 8 April and Saturday 4 May. The union added it voted 98 per cent in favour, on a 70 per cent turnout.
This comes after London Mayor Sadiq Khan had drummed up an extra £30m for Tube unions, successfully preventing a week’s worth of walk-outs earlier in the year.
He was then accused of being misleading over the £30m cash he put forward – which he refused to confirm – but which later appeared in City Hall’s draft budget for 2024-25 – at the time it was reported.
The London Mayoral election takes place on 2 May.
A spokesperson for Sadiq Khan said: “Strikes are bad news for everyone and the Mayor urges ASLEF and TfL to continue talks to find a resolution to this dispute, and prevent this potential disruption to Londoners.”
A TfL spokesperson said: “We have been in long-term discussions with our trade union colleagues on how to modernise procedures and processes on London Underground to improve the experience both for staff and customers.”
“We have no plans to impose these changes and have committed to no one losing their job as part of these changes, and we have engaged with our unions to demonstrate that no change will be made that compromises our steadfast commitment to safety on the Tube network.
“We urge Aslef to continue discussions with us so that disruption for Londoners can be averted.”
Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s full-time organiser on London Underground, said: “‘ASLEF Tube train drivers will strike in April and May in a long-running dispute over London Underground’s failure to give assurances that changes to our members’ terms and conditions will not be imposed without agreement and that all existing agreements will be honoured.”
“Despite a previous commitment to withdraw plans for massive changes to drivers’ working conditions, London Underground management has established a full-time team of managers preparing to impose their plans.”
“They want drivers to work longer shifts, spending up to 25 per cent more time in the cab, and to remove all current working agreements in the name of “flexibility and efficiency.”
“Everyone knows what these management buzz words really mean. It’s about getting people to work harder and longer for less. Management has also failed to deliver on commitments given to us on making drivers’ cabs secure, on police numbers on Night Tube’ and on training. Our members simply don’t believe what LU management tells them anymore. ASLEF are, as always, ready to talk, but we want to see real action from management – not easily broken promises.”
Sadiq Khan, who promised no strikes on the tube upon his election, is well ahead in the polls for the London mayoral election. He faces a main challenge from Tory hopeful Susan Hall.
Hall told Morning Wire: “Clearly Sadiq Khan’s £30m bung to stop the trade unions from striking wasn’t enough, and now Londoners face even more disruption. We have had over 100 strikes under Sadiq Khan, after he promised zero.
“As Mayor, I will listen to Londoners and take a firm but fair approach to the unions, securing the best deal for commuters, taxpayers and workers.”
BusinessLDN deputy chief executive Muniya Barua said: “It’s hugely frustrating for Londoners, visitors and businesses that the capital is set to grind to a halt once again due to industrial action.
“At a time when our economy is flatlining, these disruptive strikes will hit sectors such as hospitality and retail that rely on footfall especially hard.
Drivers across 16 companies will walk out as part of a long-running dispute over pay. Aslef members at Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains and CrossCountry will strike on Friday, April 5 while drivers at Chiltern, GWR, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Trains will do so on Saturday, April 6.
Union members at c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and depot drivers, and SWR Island Line will trike on Monday, April 8.
Aslef added that its members will also refuse to work their rest days from Thursday, April 4, to Saturday, April 6, and from Monday, April 8, to Tuesday, April 9.