Full details of RMT’s pay and working hours demands revealed - as six-day Tube strike meltdown looms

The proposed walkout will affect almost the entire transport network across the capital over seven days, which is set to cost the hospitality sector £110 million.

Tube lines will effectively shut down as different parts of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union membership walk out on different days.

London Underground and Docklands Light Railway services will be heavily disrupted during the strikes, as the RMT says it has been forced into taking the action.

Here, we take a look at how the strikes will affect passengers, and what the union is demanding on behalf of tube workers.

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When are the strikes and which lines are affected?

From Friday September 5 until Thursday September 11, underground services will be severely disrupted with little to no service across most lines.

Any services that run between Monday September 8 and Thursday will start later than usual, with no service before 8am.

The Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Waterloo & City lines will all be affected by the strikes.

A separate dispute on the Docklands Light Railway will mean the DLR also won't run on Tuesday and Thursday.

Ruslip depot operational managers will strike from 6pm on September 5 to 5.59pm on September 6 over pay.

This leaves just the Elizabeth Line and Overground line still operating as normal - but passengers are warned that these lines will be busier than usual.

Why is RMT striking?

The walkout comes after management ‘refused to engage seriously’ with union demands, as the RMT accused managers of "failing to honour previous agreements made with staff".

The RMT is the largest specialist transport union in the country, representing around 10,400 tube workers.

They claim that management’s ‘dismissive’ approach has “fuelled widespread anger and distrust among the workforce”.

Speaking exclusively with LBC, a spokesperson for the union insisted it continues its attempts to 'break the impasse' but that deals 'have been rejected so far'.

A spokesperson for TfL said: "We regularly meet with our trade unions to discuss any concerns that they may have, and we recently met with the RMT to discuss some specific points.

"We are committed to ensuring our colleagues are treated fairly and, as well as offering a 3.4 per cent pay increase in our ongoing pay discussions, we have made progress on a number of commitments we have made previously.

But an RMT spokesperson told LBC: "The public statements from TfL have been disappointing and intransigent.

"We are seeking a revised offer which addresses our members concerns about pay conditions and agreements.

"Overtures have been made by RMT to break the impasse but have been rejected so far.

"Meanwhile, the strikes remain on," they added.

So what are their full demands?

The fallout between the union and managers is centred on pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns and a reduction in the working week.

According to data uncovered by a Freedom of Information request, the average annual salary for a London Underground train driver in April 2024 was £65,179.

Advanced operators earned more, with an average of £75,677.

Drivers on the Elizabeth Line also earn significantly more, after they agreed a pay deal raising their salaries to £75,000 in February.

Fatigue management refers to the stress workers are under, and how their early and late shifts are affecting their health.

TfL workers usually work 35-hour weeks, made up of three and a half shifts. This ensures the service can run 24 hours day, 7 days a week.

But the RMT has now asked for a 32-hour week.

The union's general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: "Our members are doing a fantastic job to keep our capital moving and work strenuous shift patterns to make sure Londoners get to their destinations around the clock.

"They are not after a king's ransom, but fatigue and extreme shift rotations are serious issues impacting on our members health and wellbeing - all of which have not been adequately addressed for years by London Underground management.

"Coupled with the fact there are outstanding issues around staff travel arrangements, an atmosphere of distrust has been created, where our members feel like no-one is listening to them."

But TfL claims a 32-hour working week is ""neither practical or affordable," and would cost them hundreds of millions of pounds.

As part of negotiations, it has offered the RMT a 3.4% pay rise.

A TfL spokesperson said: "We welcome further engagement with our unions about fatigue and rostering across London Underground, but a reduction in the contractual 35-hour working week is neither practical nor affordable."

They added: "Given the improvements we have recently put in place in response to concerns raised by our unions, we urge the RMT to put our fair, affordable pay offer to their members and to continue to engage with us rather than threaten strike action, which will only disrupt Londoners."