London Underground drivers are striking over TfL’s plans to introduce a condensed four-day working week
London’s transport system is to become paralysed for four days next week as Tube drivers strike over working hours. London Underground services will either not run or face significant disruption between Tuesday, April 21 and Friday, April 25.
With just seven days to go until the walkout begins and neither Transport for London (TfL) or the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) have commented on the progress of negotiations. Last month strikes were set to take place between March 24 and March 29, but these were called off six days beforehand due to a breakthrough in talks.
Unless anything changes, the first 24-hour strikes will begin at midday on Tuesday, April 21 and last until midday on Wednesday, April 22. The second will commence during the same timeframe between Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24.
Eddie Dempsey, RMT General Secretary, said: “London Underground is trying to force through major changes to working patterns that have already been rejected by our members. We are clear that these proposals raise serious concerns around fatigue, safety and work-life balance.
“Despite our best efforts over many months, no satisfactory outcome has been reached so we have no choice but to call strike dates. There is still time for London Underground to come up with a workable solution but we will take strike action if we cannot get a negotiated settlement.”
Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground and National Rail workers are not in the same bargaining unit so these services should be running as normal, although there could be some knock-on disruption. During September’s Tube strikes some stations opened late due to staff having difficulties getting to work.
Roundup of disruption during April Tube strikes
Tuesday April 21 and Thursday April 23
- Morning – normal services expected until mid-morning
- Late morning – some disruption as services start to reduce ahead of strike action starting
- After midday – significant disruption expected on all lines
Wednesday April 22 and Friday April 24
- Morning – significant disruption expected on all lines
- After midday – continued disruption throughout the afternoon and evening as we return the service to normal
- Evening – normal service
35-hour four-day week vs 32-hour four-day week
TfL wants to compress the current 36-hour working week across five days to a 35-hours spread across four days. This change would see contractual hours remain the same due to one less paid lunch hour being required.
RMT has rebutted this with an effort to keep the four-day week but reducing working hours to 32. Union boss Eddie Dempsey said the proposed longer working day of eight hours and 45 minutes would cause driver fatigue and compromise safety for railway staff and passengers.
This dispute has dragged on since April 2025 when rival union Aslef – which solely represents train drivers – accepted TfL’s 35-hour, four-day working week proposal describing it as “exactly the sort of deal every trade union should be trying to achieve.”
TfL has trialled this working pattern on the Bakerloo line and told London Centric in November that these shifts were available for all drivers on a voluntary basis.
The company’s director for London Underground customer operations, Nick Dent, said in an email to all staff in September that a small reduction in contractual hours would cost tens of millions of pounds.
Chief operating officer Claire Mann claimed this would be “neither practical nor affordable”.
How are negotiations going?
Neither the RMT or TfL would comment when approached by MyLondon for an update on negotiations. The latter gave being under pre-local election restrictions as the reason for not providing a new statement, but said it would be in touch with passengers later this week to inform them about the expected travel disruption.
The union first announced strikes in March, April and May on March 10. Eight days later it said the first two 24-hour strikes in March had been suspended because talks had “taken a step in the right direction”.
General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said TfL’s management was willing to change its position on the condensed 35-hour, four-day working week being introduced; adding that further talks would be held throughout the coming days and weeks to reach a negotiated settlement.
Nothing appears to have come of this yet, meaning the first April strikes are on course to go ahead.
Timeline of recent London transport strikes
- 2022 (June–August): Multiple Tube and rail walkouts over pay and job security during a wave of national strikes across the UK.
- 2023 (March & July): Tube drivers staged 24-hour strikes over pensions, pay freezes, and working hours.
- 2024 (January): Sir Sadiq Khan averts RMT strike after finding £30m for pay offer.
- 2024 (April): Planned strike by ASLEF was cancelled after improved pay offer.
- 2024 (November) – RMT and ASLEF strike called off at the last minute due to improved pay offer.
- September 2025 Seven-day Tube strike and DLR strike action over fatigue, shift patterns, and wage disputes.
- March 2026: Two 24-hour strikes were suspended by RMT after the union claimed TfL was willing to negotiate about plans to impose a four-day week. Two extra strike dates were added in March
- April, May and June 2026 (planned): Two 24-hour strikes have been planned each month as the RMT is pushing for a 32-hour working week spread over four days, instead of the proposed 35 hours week.
*Strikes which went ahead are in bold
What about the November pay offer?
We initially thought this was all over when TfL and the RMT agreed to a 3.4 per cent pay rise for all London Underground staff last November. This has taken salaries for experienced drivers close to £80k per year.
There are also assurances that salaries would increase with the rate of inflation, with the third year of the upgraded pay offer at 0.2 per cent above the retail prices index (used in the UK to calculate inflation).
A London Standard probe found this would mean the starting Tube driver salary of £71,170 could increase to £77,692 by April 2027 if inflation remains at three per cent or higher.
In hindsight all this did was delay strikes for a few months, as the most pressing matter for both TfL and the RMT is introducing a four-day week for drivers on their own terms.
Strikes to have ‘devastating’ impact on London hospitality
Katie Nicholls, the chair of UK Hospitality, claims the upcoming Tube strikes will have a “devastating” impact on London’s hospitality sector as commuter footfall will become “almost non-existent”.
“The cost of strikes can stretch into the millions – as we saw when strikes hit the sector a couple of years ago,” she told The Caterer. “It’s not just lost sales, but the impact on hospitality staff, who can no longer get into work.
“I urge all parties to continue negotiations and reach a solution that averts these damaging strikes.”
Tips for travelling during the strike action
Use Alternative Transport
- Buses, the Elizabeth line, and Overground services will continue running but expect significantly longer queues and overcrowded carriages during peak times.
- Walk or cycle for any journey under 2 miles in Central London, as distances are often manageable and faster than waiting for packed alternative services.
- Grab dockless bikes or e-scooters during rush hour when other transport becomes overwhelmed with commuters. Lime usage soared during September’s Tube strikes as Londoners found alternative ways to get to the office.
Plan Around Disruptions
- Some stations will close temporarily if there aren’t enough staff available, so check your route before traveling.
- Timetables can change at very short notice, so always check live updates before setting off.
Prepare in Advance
- Work from home if your employer allows it, especially on strike days that fall on Mondays or Fridays when disruption is typically worst.
- Map out your essential journeys beforehand and identify backup routes using TfL’s journey planner.
- Allow at least double your normal travel time and consider traveling outside the standard rush hours of 7-9am and 5-7pm.
- Book accommodation near Overground or Elizabeth line stations if you’re visiting London during the strike period.
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