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RMT union announces strikes starting November 26, 2026, over four-day week plans. Aslef supports the voluntary scheme, while BusinessLDN warns of Christmas disruption.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
London Underground train drivers are to stage a series of eight 24-hour strikes starting November 26, 2026, in a dispute over proposed working arrangements, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced.
The 24-hour strikes will begin at noon on the following dates:
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."
He added: "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."
The RMT says the proposals would mean drivers spend more time driving trains, face longer duties, earlier starts and later finishes, and could lead to hundreds of job cuts.
Aslef, which represents many other drivers on the network, supports the voluntary four-day week. Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser on London Underground, said: "The voluntary four-day week gives Tube train drivers an extra 35 days off every year with rosters based on a 34-hour week in return for some changes to working conditions and moving to electronic, rather than paper-based, systems for booking on for duty."
He added: "Management have agreed that anyone who wants to keep working a five-day week will be able to do so without suffering any detriment, and we will be holding them to that."
Ed Richardson, transport programme director at BusinessLDN, said: "These strikes will not bring any festive cheer to Londoners and visitors that rely on the Tube to get around the city."
He added: "While many people will be able to work from home or use other modes of travel, it will hit the hospitality sector particularly hard during the vital Christmas trading season."
The strikes fall during the Christmas trading period and could disrupt travel across the London Underground network. About half of the drivers on the network are RMT members, while many others are represented by Aslef. Previous strikes over the same issue caused significant disruption, with some lines entirely closed.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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