London Underground staff plan strikes in January. Here are the dates you need to know about
London Underground workers will stage a series of strikes in the new year in a dispute over pay.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action over a five per cent pay offer.
Engineering and maintenance workers will be taking action over January 5/6, with no rest-day working or overtime until January 12.
London Underground control centre and power/control members will be taking action over January 7/8, and fleet workers will walk out on January 8.
Signallers and service controller members will take action on January 9 and 12 while all fleet, stations and trains grades will walk out on January 10.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said Tube workers who help bring “vast amounts of value” to the London economy were not going to put up with senior managers and commissioners “raking it in”, while they were given “modest below-inflation offers”.
He said: “The refusal of Transport for London to restore staff travel facilities and create a two-tier workforce is also unacceptable.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that RMT has announced strike action based on our full and final pay offer.
“We have been clear throughout our productive discussions with our trade unions that this offer is the most we can afford whilst ensuring that we can operate safely, reliably and sustainably.
“We encourage the RMT to engage with us to avoid disruption for Londoners at the start of next year.”
The tube strikes will serve as a fresh blow to the capital’s hospitality sector. Pubs, bars and restaurants have been hit by a year of industrial action, as millions of Brits work at home, slipping back into pandemic hybrid habits, instead of braving the buses and trains.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Yet another tube strike is frustrating news for thousands of hospitality businesses, which have already lost more than £4 billion in sales over the past 18 months.
“January is already one of the quieter trading months of the year for hospitality, where every sale counts, and this disruption will make the start to the year even more challenging. Once again businesses will lose out, as will workers and consumers.
“We need all parties to come together to urgently reach a resolution and bring to an end this long-running disruption.”
Kris Hamer, Director of Insight at the British Retail Consortium, added: “Rail strikes are disruptive for retail, as they limit commuter, leisure and tourist traffic. To avoid disruption, many people will undoubtedly opt to work from home, impacting already-vulnerable city centre businesses reliant on their custom. London’s footfall remains down on pre-pandemic levels, and these strikes will only slow the progress retailers have made to bring people back to stores.”
Press Association – Alan Jones