Christmas chaos as Tube drivers announce 8 DAYS of strikes sparking misery for festive shoppers
2 comments 2 Next TUBE drivers have announced a series of 24-hour strikes over the Christmas period, bringing misery to shoppers over the festive period. London Underground drivers have confirmed they will strike for eight days between November and February. 4 The 24-hour strikes will begin in November and continue into the New Year Source: Jon Bond The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have said today that they will walkout from November 26 and into the New Year.
Advertisement The 24-hour strikes will begin at noon on November 26, as well as December 17 and 19, January 4 and 6 and February 17, 23 and 25. Sign up for the Travel newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. This means that strikes will continue until the morning of Black Friday , which is on November 27 this year, and the last Saturday before Christmas .
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. Read more Travel News NEXT STOP Another UK train station could soon be made international in £1.3BILLION boost RED LIGHT Another UK street to BAN cars just days after Oxford Street 4 The strikes this Christmas are set to rollover into the morning of Black Friday Source: EPA 4 Londoners faced strikes earlier this year in March and May, also staged by the RMT Source: Alamy “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.” The RMT’s decision to strike comes as a result of long-running disputes over working arrangements. Advertisement Drivers believe that plans to introduce a four-day working week would increase time spent driving trains, longer duties, earlier starts and later finishes.
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The midday-to-midday format is thought to maximise the level of disruption, severely disrupting both the morning and evening rush hours. Finn Brennan, Aslef’s (the British trade union for train drivers) full-time organiser on London Underground, said: “We are surprised that the RMT has, once again, decided to take strike action to try to prevent Underground drivers moving to a four-day week on a voluntary basis. Advertisement “We are in discussions with Transport for London about how the final details of this will work in practice.” 2 comments 2
Left out here: One side gets the space
Transport for London and London Underground management are never quoted. The article also leaves out Aslef's account of what the offer contains: an extra 35 days off a year and rosters based on a 34-hour week. Without this, the RMT's description of an attack on working conditions stands as the only detailed account of the proposal.
How we know
- Daily Mirror reported“The voluntary four-day week gives Tube train drivers an extra 35 days off every year with rosters based on a 34-hour week”Tube strike Christmas dates confirmed as London Underground workers set to walk out (opens in a new tab)
- Daily Mirror reported“We have engaged with our trade unions for months about our proposal for a new four-day working week.”Tube strike Christmas dates confirmed as London Underground workers set to walk out (opens in a new tab)