Tube drivers call off strike after being offered four-day week, pay rise and fewer hours

8 November 2024, 13:54 | Updated: 8 November 2024, 14:31

London Tube drivers have been presented with a “ground-breaking” offer including a four-day workweek and paid meal breaks – done to prevent last week’s strikes that had the potential to cripple the capital.

The proposed deal would mean drivers do 2.5 hours less and add an extra week of paid paternity leave.

Gareth Bacon, the Conservative shadow transport secretary, criticised the offer as “quite unbelievable” and a “sell-out” by Mayor Sadiq Khan, predicting it will result in worse service for passengers.

Aslef, the drivers’ union, had planned to shut down the London Underground on November 7 and 12 if TfL did not address shift patterns workers described as “exhausting”, according to the Evening Standard.

However, TfL recently managed to strike a deal with both Aslef and the RMT union without offering additional pay.

The new agreement, when finalized, will provide 16,500 Tube employees with an average increase of 4.6%, including a 3.8% raise and a £450 lump sum, backdated to April 2024.

Employees earning under £40,000 will receive a total boost of £1,970, while experienced Tube drivers will see a 4.5% increase, bringing their salaries to around £69,600.Finn Brennan, Aslef’s London organizer, told the 2,000 drivers he represents that Aslef suspended the strikes based on this “ground-breaking” offer.

According to Brennan, the new schedule will reduce drivers’ weekly hours by two and a half, resulting in a true 35-hour workweek and allowing for a consistent four-day workweek.

Over a four-week pay period, drivers will work 10 hours and four days fewer, effectively raising their hourly wage.

TfL officials noted that the four-day week will be implemented only if it doesn’t disrupt Tube service reliability.

Bacon, representing Orpington, expressed concern, saying, “The purpose of a transport system is to serve passengers.”

He argued that Aslef’s success in securing reduced hours and an above-inflation pay increase means “enhanced pay for less work” at the expense of fare-paying passengers.

He emphasized that throughout negotiations, they sought terms that acknowledged drivers’ unique role and aligned their hours with those of their peers on the Elizabeth Line and London Overground.

Under the agreement, London Underground has committed to presenting a proposal by January that would implement a four-day working week with paid meal breaks, aiming to reduce work hours while enhancing service reliability and maintaining the 35-hour contractual workweek.

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Aslef has long pursued a four-day workweek for Tube drivers, aligning Underground operations with the broader rail industry. Prior attempts had failed due to longer shifts required.

The reintroduction of paid meal breaks, for the first time since 1992, will enable the creation of new rosters.

Aslef’s goal is to further reduce the working week to 32 hours.Nick Dent, London Underground’s director of customer operations, stated in a letter to Aslef that reducing the contractual 35-hour workweek further is unaffordable.

He confirmed, however, that TfL will engage in discussions on developing a roadmap toward a restructured working week in a separate forum after the pay negotiations are complete.

Dent expressed confidence in the offer, encouraging Aslef to put it to a vote among members.

He noted that the offer meets the pay claims submitted and that no further improvements could be made at this time.