Strikes over Night Tube to go ahead from Friday

Strikes by London Underground drivers will go ahead from Friday after talks failed to resolve a row over the Night Tube.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will stage an eight-hour walkout on the Central and Victoria lines from 8.30pm on Friday and a 24-hour stoppage on Saturday on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.

Travellers are being warned that the action will cause disruption to Tube services, with little or no service in places.

Talks were held this week but the row remains deadlocked.

The RMT said new rosters for the Night Tube are being imposed on drivers.

General secretary Mick Lynch said: “We are angry and disappointed that Tube management have refused yet again this week to move forward based on genuine and realistic proposals that could have enabled us to recommend the suspension of the planned action.

“As a result the strike action this weekend goes ahead.

‎”The issue at the heart of the dispute is that the dedicated Night Tube driver grade, which was popular with women and those with caring responsibilities, an‎d which the union fought to get written into the original agreement, has been ripped up with the loss of 200 posts and complete disregard for the staff themselves.”

Nick Dent, London Underground’s director of customer operations, said: “Our view remains that rostering Tube drivers to work up to four night shift weekends each year, which they can swap with colleagues if they wish, is fair and reasonable.

“We have also guaranteed that there will be no job losses. We urge the RMT to call off this unnecessary strike action, which will reduce the level of service we can run at a time when coronavirus cases are rising.

“It will not serve any purpose other than to disrupt Londoners and visitors to the city as they enjoy the festivities at this special time of year.”

A London Underground spokesman said: “We’ve urged the RMT union to put the current dispute aside and cancel this weekend’s strike action, which will reduce the level of service running at a time when coronavirus cases are rising.

“Calling off the action would mean London Underground services can run as normal to support people travelling to work and those going to get their vaccination boosters.

“No drivers have been forced to switch to part- or full-time work if they do not want to.”