Strike action to affect Haringey underground stations

RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) will go ahead with planned strike action that will threaten Night Tube Services from tomorrow (Friday, 7th January), through to the summer.

RMT, Britain’s largest specialist transport union, has confirmed that the strike will go ahead every weekend on the Night Tube until June, in what it refers to as an “on-going fight to prevent the ripping up of staffing arrangements that would wreck the work life balance of drivers.”

The Victoria Line (Tottenham Hale Station, and Seven Sisters Station), and Central Line will be affected, with RMT member train drivers striking from 8.30pm on any Friday and Saturday until 8.00am the next day, until Sunday 19th June.

RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch said: “If London Underground 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 London Underground (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.”

Transport for London (TfL) state that RMT has taken this strike action over new rosters which were introduced for Tube drivers in August 2021.

TfL says that the rosters include assurances that there will be no job cuts, that there is “the option of permanent work for those on part-time contracts,” and that no train driver has been forced to switch to part, or full-time work if they do not want to.

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.”

Commuters are advised to plan ahead by checking before they travel and using buses to complete their journeys where required. Night services on London Overground will run as planned on Friday and Saturday nights between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate.

According to TfL, the other Night Tube lines − the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, will return to service as soon as practicable. RMT has stated it will consider broadening the strike action to these lines if LU fails to respond.

TfL and the RMT remain open to further talks to resolve this dispute.