Travel mayhem for Londoners in new year as Underground staff announce strike dates in walkout over pay

22 December 2023, 10:01

Underground staff are set to stage a series of strikes in the new year after rejecting the most recent pay offer.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action over a five per cent pay offer.

The union, which represents some 10,000 London Underground staff, saw 90.5 per cent of members vote in favour of industrial action.

The first strike day is set to commence on January 5 with the final day on January 12.

Engineering and maintenance workers will walk out on January 5/6, with no rest-day working or overtime until January 12.

London Underground control centre and power/control members will strike on January 7/8, and fleet workers will walk out on January 8.

Signallers and service controller members will also take action on January 9 and 12 while all fleet, stations and trains grades will walk out on January 10.

The walkout will effectively bring London Underground services to a standstill.

General Secretary of the RMT Union Mick Lynch said Tube staff will not put up with senior managers and commissioners “raking it in” while they receive “modest below-inflation offers”.

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He said: "The refusal of Transport for London to restore staff travel facilities and create a two-tier workforce is also unacceptable.

"Our members have made it clear that they are prepared to take action and we urge TfL to improve their offer to avert disruption in the capital."

A TfL spokesperson said of the vote: “We are disappointed that RMT has achieved a mandate for strike action based on our full and final pay offer.

"We have been clear throughout our productive discussions with our trade unions that this offer is the most we can afford whilst ensuring that we can operate safely, reliably and sustainably.

"We remain open for discussions and will do everything in our power to avoid disruption to Londoners.”

It comes after TfL made a “full and final” one-year offer to London Underground staff in October.

But the RMT said it was unhappy with the offer as it called for a mandate on strike action.

TfL and the main Tube unions called off strikes in July and October at the 11th hour after striking deals on pensions and guarantees on station staffing.

However, the RMT’s Regional Organiser Jared Wood later branded TfL’s latest five per cent pay offer to members “inadequate”.