The Tube strikes planned for tomorrow and Thursday by London Underground drivers have been called off, the RMT union announced. The strikes were planned over an ongoing dispute between the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and London Underground bosses over Tube drivers’ condensed working hours.
Strike Dates and Details
The strikes were planned to run from 12 pm on Tuesday, May 19, until midday, Wednesday, May 20. The second walkout would have been midday, Thursday, May 21, until midday Friday, May 22. TfL has proposed to condense drivers’ five-day working week into four days of longer shifts, which RMT said would have consequences for drivers’ welfare – sparking the strike action.
Union Concerns
Speaking to Metro, Jared Wood, RMT’s London lead, previously said that under the changes, a driver could, in theory, start work at 3.45am and drive for five hours, then have a half-hour break before driving again for a maximum of 9.5 hours. TfL said it would never bring in measures that would compromise safety, and added that the proposed changes would bring it in line with the shift patterns of national rail operators.
Previous Disruptions
Last month, the RMT held two other walkout days, which saw crowded roads, queues for buses and chaos on the Overground. The majority of London Underground lines were listed as disrupted or suspended, which pushed Londoners to find alternative means of transport like bicycles, Ubers, and good old-fashioned walking. During the same walkouts, small businesses around Liverpool Street station told Metro that they had struggled on the first day of the Tube strike as their income fell.
Future Strike Dates
The next planned walkouts, if an agreement isn’t reached, are planned for: Midday on Tuesday, June 16 to midday on Wednesday, June 17; Midday on Thursday, June 18 to midday on Friday, June 19.
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