London Underground strikes disrupt services as RMT seeks 32-hour week

Thousands of London Underground workers began a series of strikes at the end of last week that have reduced Tube services to a fraction of normal levels and threatened to shut down most lines through the working week, Transport for London and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union said. The rolling action, called by the RMT and involving drivers, signallers and maintenance staff, began on Sunday evening and continued through Thursday, with the union saying its members would not return to normal schedules until their demands over pay, fatigue and working hours are addressed.

The RMT is pressing for a cut in the contractual working week from 35 hours to 32 hours and stronger measures on fatigue management, alongside other improvements to pay and conditions. The union has rejected a 3.4 percent pay offer from Transport for London, arguing that long shift patterns and staff reductions since 2018 have left members overstretched. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey called for a summit with the Mayor of London and accused TfL management of being intransigent. An RMT spokesperson said talks had been disappointing and that overtures from the union to break the impasse had been rejected.