Tube and train strikes: Everything you need to know as April and May disruption begins this week
It's that time again. Tube and train strikes are set to cause disruption throughout April and May, starting this week. City AM has all the details.
A major round of industrial action will disrupt National Rail services and the London Underground over the next month, as train drivers strike in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Members of the Aslef union are launching two rolling one-day Tube strikes and walk-outs at 16 major rail operators across April and May.
Passengers have been advised to check the National Rail website for up-to-date information before they travel. Tube service updates can be found on the Transport for London (TfL) website.
It comes over a year and a half into the national dispute, which began in June 2022 when the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union staged a first set of train strikes.
When are the Tube strike dates?
Two 24 hour strikes by Aslef tube drivers are planned on Monday 8 April and Saturday 4 May.
Much of the network will be brought to a standstill and TfL has warned other unaffected services, such as the Elizabeth Line, London Overground and DLR, will be “busier than usual” and could be subject to last minute cancellations.
It comes after Khan drummed up £30m of public cash to stop separate RMT tube workers launching a weeks worth of action in January.
Aslef is concerned its drivers could be forced to work longer hours and that prior agreements with TfL and Sadiq Khan could be ripped up.
Finn Brennan, Aslef’s organiser for the London Underground, said TfL had failed to “give assurances that changes to our members’ terms and conditions will not be imposed without agreement and that all existing agreements will be honoured.”
“Despite a previous commitment to withdraw plans for massive changes to drivers’ working conditions, London Underground management has established a full-time team of managers preparing to impose their plans.
“They want drivers to work longer shifts, spending up to 25 per cent more time in the cab, and to remove all current working agreements in the name of ‘flexibility and efficiency.'”
TfL said it had “no plans to impose these changes” and had “committed to no one losing their job as part of these changes.”
“We have engaged with our unions to demonstrate that no change will be made that compromises our steadfast commitment to safety on the Tube network.”
The operator added: “We have been in long-term discussions with our trade union colleagues on how to modernise procedures and processes on London Underground to improve the experience both for staff and customers.
Tube staff represented by the RMT secured a pay rise of eight to ten per cent for the lowest paid workers in February. Higher paid staff netted a five per cent increase in the same deal.
A second union representing customer service managers, the TSSA, is also striking on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 April.
When are the national strike dates?
Train drivers at 16 rail companies will launch strikes on Friday 5, Saturday 6 and Monday 8 April, Aslef has said.
The union is also planning a six-day overtime ban between Thursday 4 and Saturday 6 April, and Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 April.
Rail operator’s affected by the national strike action are as follows:
Friday 5 April: Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry.
Saturday 6 April: Chiltern, GWR, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Trains.
Monday 8 April: Greater Anglia, c2c, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and SWR Island Line.
Why are strikes happening?
Broadly, unions are seeking better pay and working conditions for their members amid inflation and other daily cost pressures.
They are also infuriated by new minimum service legislation, which enforces train companies have enough staff to run 40 per cent of services during walk-outs.
In April 2023, Aslef’s executive committee rejected a 4 per cent pay rise for two consecutive years.
Since then, union bosses have accused the government of failing to come to the negotiating table. Talks between Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan and transport ministers have been non-existent since December 2022.
The dispute is made more complex by the dire financial state of Britain’s train operators, represented by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), who have struggled to recover financially since the pandemic wiped out passenger numbers.
The network has been plagued by delays and cancellations, such that Transpennine Express had its contract stripped in May 2023.
A spokesperson for the RDG said: “We are sorry that this round of strikes called by the ASLEF leadership risk disrupting journeys.
“While we are doing all we can to keep trains running and we will work with our industry partners to keep as many trains running as possible, unfortunately there will be reduced services between Thursday 4 April to Tuesday 9 April. Our advice is to check before you travel and follow the latest travel information.”
Unlike the national dispute, this months Tube strikes are much more centred around working conditions, with Aslef concerned over working hours and changes to prior agreements. There has been some reporting around the level of fatigue among London Underground drivers.
Rail workers pay
Median annual pay for train and tram drivers is about £60,000, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
ONS figures show average salaries across the rail sector were £45,919 in 2022.
Tube drivers earn a base salary of around £58,000. However, under a rare type of pension scheme, they can earn a significant amount more.
A 21-year-old train operator working until the age of 65 would build a pension of around £42,500 per year, without any pay rises, according to AJ Bell analysis.
This article will be updated as new details emerge.
