Londoners are facing the prospect of miserable commutes well into the New Year after a series of 24-hour walkouts were announced in a row over working arrangements. The union, which represents Tube workers, announced eight days of strikes will take place in November, December, January and February. The walkouts will take place between Thursday, November 26 and Thursday, February 25. The RMT and TfL have been locked in talks over plans for a four-day work week for Tube drivers.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: "London Underground is attempting to dress up a wholesale attack on drivers' working conditions as a voluntary four-day week. "But 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. "Our members are being asked to spend more time driving trains, accept longer and more unpredictable shifts and surrender agreements that have been negotiated and defended over many years.
"This is not about improving work-life balance. It is about squeezing more work out of fewer drivers while giving management greater flexibility at the expense of our members. "RMT is not opposed to a genuine four-day working week that benefits our members, but we will not accept it being used as a vehicle for job cuts, intensified working and the erosion of terms and conditions. "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." The 24-hour strikes will begin at noon on the following dates: Thursday 26 November 2026 Thursday 17 December 2026 Saturday 19 December 2026 Monday 4 January 2027 Wednesday 6 January 2027 Wednesday 17 February 2027 Tuesday 23 February 2027 Thursday 25 February 2027
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article leaves out that Aslef, the other drivers' union, backs the voluntary four-day week and says management agreed five-day drivers would suffer no detriment. Without it a reader believes the scheme is opposed by drivers as a whole and is compulsory in effect.
LBC reports the RMT's eight Tube strike dates and gives the union's case at length. It lets the RMT's claim that the scheme forces drivers to give up protections even on a five-day week stand unanswered. It never mentions that Aslef, which also represents drivers, says management agreed five-day drivers would suffer no detriment, and it carries no response from TfL.
Gives a contested claim the last word
Serious
“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”
Why this matters
LBC prints the RMT's claim that the scheme forces drivers to give up protections even if they stay on five days, and that refusers face displacement. It sets nothing against it anywhere in the article.
The impression it gives
A reader comes away believing the four-day week is compulsory in effect and that drivers who keep a five-day week lose protections.
The context
Aslef, which also represents Tube drivers, said the same day that management agreed anyone keeping a five-day week can do so without detriment. Aslef also said the scheme gives drivers an extra 35 days off a year. The article never mentions Aslef or any management response.
“Our members are determined to defend their jobs, working conditions and the safety of the Underground”
Why this matters
LBC closes the reporting on the RMT's framing of the strike as a defence of jobs and safety. After it there is only the list of dates.
The impression it gives
A reader takes the RMT's account as the settled picture of what the proposals do, because no other party speaks.
The context
The proposals are disputed between the two drivers' unions. Aslef's organiser said he was surprised the RMT struck to stop drivers having a four-day week. The article gives no TfL or Aslef voice.
The RMT says the scheme forces drivers to give up protections whether they work four or five days. Aslef, which also represents drivers, says management has agreed that anyone keeping a five-day week will suffer no detriment and that the scheme gives drivers 35 extra days off a year.
Leaves out what changes the picture
Minor
What is missing
The article leaves out that Aslef, the other drivers' union, backs the voluntary four-day week and says management agreed five-day drivers would suffer no detriment. Without it a reader believes the scheme is opposed by drivers as a whole and is compulsory in effect.