The dispute is centred on TfL’s wish to introduce a voluntary four-day week for drivers.
They currently earn about £80k and work 36-hour weeks spread across five days, but the transport authority wants them to work 35 hours across four days.
Instead of this, the RMT wants drivers to work 32 hours across four days. TfL chief operating officer Claire Mann said this would be “unaffordable” for London, and that it would cost “in the tens of millions”.
After the last walkout between Tuesday, May 19 and Friday, May 22 was cancelled one day before it was due to start, both sides appeared close to reaching an agreement.
The RMT seemed happy that TfL is “willing to compromise on rosters, fatigue and safety issues’, although TfL told MyLondon it had not changed its position since the start of the dispute.
The transport authority reiterated that Tube drivers can choose not to opt in to the new pattern and can continue working the current five-day week across 36 hours.
TfL added that staff are monitoring the success of the four-day week trial currently being held on the Bakerloo line before developing an agreement for drivers across the Tube network, and called for the RMT to call off the strike as it could hinder ongoing discussions.
Rival drivers union ASLEF has already accepted the four-day week proposal calling it the “biggest improvement in working conditions for decades”, which slightly weakens the RMT’s position as ASLEF drivers would still turn up for work during the strike.
