London tube drivers have planned extensive strikes this week, impacting most lines on Tuesday and Thursday. During the action, no service is expected on the Circle line, the Piccadilly line, the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate, and the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street.
The walkout will run from midnight until midnight on Tuesday, June 2, and Thursday, June 4, with normal service resuming on Wednesday and Friday. Transport for London (TfL) expects to run services on other Tube lines on both days, but they are likely to be busy and TFL warned "there will be disruption to journeys".
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On the lines that are running, services will start late and finish early, with limited services before 6.30am on both days and customers have been told to complete their journeys before 9pm on both Tuesday and Thursday.
The Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, buses and trams will continue to operate during the strike days, but these are expected to be busy as passengers are funnelled into the restricted number of routes.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union organised the industrial action, alleging that TfL was trying to force drivers into a four-day working week instead of five.
However, TfL Chief Operating Officer Claire Mann rejected this, stating the new schedule would be "voluntary" and "there would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so".
The four-day work week would see members working longer, more condensed hours, which the union said is a safety risk due to driver fatigue.
However, ASLEF, a train driver's union, has accepted the voluntary proposals. It said this was "exactly the sort of deal every trade union should be trying to achieve", pointing out it would give their members 35 more days off each year "in return for some fairly minor changes to working conditions".
Previous industrial action on the London Underground planned for May 19 and 21 was called off at the last minute by the RMT, and it is yet to be seen whether RMT will do so again.
The day before the May strikes were due to start, the RMT said "at the 11th hour the employer has shifted its position allowing us to further explore our members concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues".
