Night Tube strikes to cause travel chaos for Londoners as six months of action begins

7 January 2022, 18:55

Tube strikes are set to cause further chaos on the London Underground this weekend, as workers begin six months of walkouts.

Strikes will go ahead on the Night Tube for every weekend through to June, starting from Friday evening, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has said.

The Central and Victoria lines will be disrupted from 8.30pm on Friday until 4.29am the following day, with the same also applying on Saturday evening through to Sunday morning.

The union added that the mandate could also extend to other lines, warning that it will consider broadening action if nothing changed.

It comes amid a dispute over rosters introduced in August, which merged day and nighttime drivers.

However, London Underground said the new rosters included assurances that there would be no job cuts, the option of permanent work for those on part-time contracts, and only scheduling up to four night shift weekends per year.

Transport for London has urged travellers to plan ahead of their journeys as "severe disruption" is expected.

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Minister: London needs 'strong leader' to tackle tube strikes

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: "As the New Year gets under way our battle for workplace justice for tube staff steps up a gear with a new phase of action running from tomorrow through to the summer.

"If London Underground (LU) and the Mayor thought this fight for progressive and family friendly working practices was going away they need to think again.

"It's the failure of LU and Sadiq Khan to address the grievances at the heart of the dispute that leaves us no option but to confirm the programme of action goes ahead as planned.

"RMT has repeatedly put forward cost neutral proposals that would repair the damage unleashed by deleting 200 driver posts and which would dig LU out of this mess.

"They have ignored us and that approach will have severe consequences for Londoners through to the summer.

"We remain available for further talks."

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Andy Lord, Managing Director of London Underground, said: "We're disappointed that, once again, the RMT is continuing to push for strike action that is likely to cause further unnecessary disruption.

"We're calling on the RMT to join us for talks so we can work together to resolve this dispute around roster changes, which mean no job losses and greater flexibility for drivers. 

"If these six months of action do go ahead, we will continue to operate as regular a service as possible.

"However, customers are advised to check before they travel and use buses to complete their journeys where required.

"I apologise to them for the impact this unnecessary action will have on their journeys."

Sadiq Khan 'frustrated and annoyed' the tube strike can't be resolved

It comes after Small business minister Paul Scully criticised Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for the "totally unreasonable" strikes.

He told LBC on Friday: "The mayor needs to get back to the table with those unions and TfL to thrash this out.

Mr Scully added: "He's good at politics, he’s not good at leadership, and what we need in London at the moment is strong leadership."