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.
ASLEF has already accepted this proposal calling it the “biggest improvement in working conditions for decades”, but the RMT has previously expressed concerns about driver fatigue caused by longer shifts. Union officials instead proposed a 32-hour week for drivers across four days, but TfL has ruled this out as “unaffordable.”
The first series of two 24-hour strikes were due to take March but were called off due to negotiations progressing. This wasn’t the case in April with both strike days going ahead, but the RMT again called off the initial May and June walkouts earlier this month.
The mid-June planned dates were moved to June 2 and 4 instead, but the RMT seemed happy that TfL is “willing to compromise on rosters, fatigue and safety issues’. TfL told MyLondon it had not been in touch with the union since the prior Friday, May 15, three days before the strikes were called off on Monday, May 18, when a representative wrote to the union about the voluntary introduction of a four-day week
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. The RMT declined to comment any further when approached by MyLondon.
