London Tube drivers to go on strike across three months as RMT union continues fight against four-day working week

London Underground drivers are to stage a series of 24-hour strikes over the coming months in a dispute over the introduction of a four-day week, the RMT union has announced. The union, which represents Tube workers, announced eight days of strikes will take place in the run-up to Christmas and in the New Year. Militant members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union plan to walk out in opposition to the plans to introduce a voluntary four-day working week.

The union argued drivers would spend more time behind the wheel even though Transport for London (TfL) previously said drivers would be working fewer hours. But Aslef pointed out the strikes were 'a strange choice to make' given that drivers would have an extra 35 days off a year. The plans also include establishing a new Trains Modernisation Framework which if not accepted by drivers would result in them being placed in a flexible pool of staff.

Flexible staff drivers would then be deployed depending on the requirements of London Underground management. The series of rolling strikes are set to begin at midday on November 26, December 17 and 19, January 4 and 6, and February 17, 23 and 25. A member of the public stands outside Angel Station in London during a strike RMT's hard-left boss Eddie Dempsey claimed the plans are a 'wholesale attack' on its members' working conditions.

He said: 'There is nothing voluntary about a scheme that forces drivers to give up existing protections whether they work four days or five, and threatens those who refuse with displacement from their depots. Mr Dempsey complained that drivers are being expected to spend more time driving trains and take on 'more unpredictable' shift patterns. London Underground strike dates announced Thursday, November 26, 2026 Thursday, December 17, 2026 Saturday, December 19, 2026 Monday, January 4, 2027 Wednesday, January 6, 2027 Wednesday, February 17, 2027 Tuesday, February 23, 2027 Thursday, February 25, 2027 'This is not about improving work-life balance,' he said. 'It is about squeezing more work out of fewer drivers while giving management greater flexibility at the expense of our members.'

He said the RMT is not against a 'genuine' four-day working week that benefits their members but added that the current plans must be scrapped. 'London Underground must withdraw these damaging proposals and engage seriously with the union to reach a negotiated settlement.' 'Our members are determined to defend their jobs, working conditions and the safety of the Underground, and they have our union's full support in taking strike action.'

Aslef’s London Underground organiser, Finn Brennan, said he was 'surprised' that the RMT decided to take strike action to stop drivers from having a four-day week. 'The voluntary four-day week gives Tube train drivers an extra 35 days off every year with rosters based on a 34-hour week in return for some changes to working conditions and moving to electronic, rather than paper-based, systems for booking on for duty.' Mr Brennan added that Aslef were in talks with Transport for London (TfL) about how the four-day week would work in practice.

Tube trains parked up at Lillie Bridge Depot in London when strikes took place on June 4 'Management have agreed that anyone who wants to keep working a five-day week will be able to do so without suffering any detriment, and we will be holding them to that. 'A strike designed to stop people having the choice of a shorter working week and more time off is a strange choice to make.' Transport Programme Director at BusinessLDN, Ed Richardson, said the strikes will not bring any festive cheers for Londoners who rely on the Tube. 'While many people will be able to work from home or use other modes of travel, it will hit the hospitality sector particularly hard during the vital Christmas trading season,' he said. 'We urge both sides to reach an agreement urgently and avoid these damaging strikes.'