London Underground workers will strike for two days in November over pay and working conditions.
Members of the Aslef trade union will walk out on Nov 7 and Nov 12, it was announced on Wednesday.
Aslef, the smaller of two unions representing Tube drivers, rejected an inflation-topping 3.8 per cent pay increase offer from Transport for London (TfL).
Unions also previously complained that London Underground managers had refused to discuss a reduction in Tube drivers’ working hours. TfL said Tube drivers are “scheduled to work a 36-hour week averaged over their whole rota”.
RMT, the other drivers’ representative, have not yet announced a strike date after voting in favour of holding a walk out.
Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of trade body UK Hospitality, said: “This is incredibly disappointing and will have a significant impact on London hospitality and tourism businesses – hitting two key trading days.
“Impacts our customers, our workers and the economy as a whole. We urge all sides to come to reach a sensible and early resolution,” she added in a post to X, formerly Twitter.
Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser of the London Underground (LU), said: “We don’t want to go on strike – we don’t want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don’t want to lose a day’s pay – but we have been forced into this position because LU management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.
“Our members voted by over 98% in favour of strike action, but Underground management are still refusing to even discuss key elements of our claim.
“They refuse to discuss any reduction in the working week or introducing paid meal relief to bring Underground drivers in line with those on the Elizabeth line and London Overground.”
This is a breaking news story.