TfL Tube Strikes Cancelled: Reasons And New Dates

This week’s planned Tube strikes in London have been called off.

Two National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) Tube strikes were expected to take place this week: one from Tuesday, 19 May (midday) until Wednesday, 20 May (midday), and another from Thursday, 21 May (midday) until Friday, 22 May (midday).

But these will no longer happen (nor will those set for June 16 and 18).

An RMT spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “At the 11th hour the employer has shifted its position, allowing us to further explore our members concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues.”

HuffPost UK has reached out to Transport for London (TfL) but has yet to receive comment.

“The dispute is not over, and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress,” RMT added.

Strikes scheduled for June 16 and 18 have also been called off, though the union has set new dates (June 2 and 4) if they remain unhappy with TfL’s response, The Independent reported.

Previously, the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), a union body which represents just over half of all Tube drivers, campaigned for a four-day work week.

TfL has since begun optionally trialling the “compressed” work week on the Bakerloo line. Drivers can opt into or out of the system.

But the RMT said that this basically amounted to packing five days’ work into four in a way which might affect the safety of their drivers and passengers. They also said the change “includes reduced flexibility over shift patterns, with the potential for only 24 hours’ notice of what shifts people will be doing”.

And they added previously that “the fact that Transport for London has made no new offer despite months of negotiation” left them “no other choice than to take strike action”.

In response, TfL said at the time: “We have set out proposals to the RMT for a four-day working week which are supported by the other Trade Union representing London Underground drivers.

“This allows us to offer train operators an additional day off, whilst at the same time bringing London Underground in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies, improving reliability and flexibility at no additional cost.

“The changes would be voluntary, there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so.”