London Underground staff to take week of industrial action at end of July | London Underground

London Underground staff will take industrial action over a week at the end of July, spelling widespread transport disruption in the capital.

Members of the RMT union will take “rolling action” between Sunday 23 July and Friday 28 July. The RMT said there would be no strike on Monday 24, with staff in different sections and grades halting work on different shifts on each of the other days.

The action is sandwiched between three RMT strikes on the national rail network, on 20, 22 and 29 July.

The union is in a long-running dispute with Transport for London (TfL) over plans to reduce staff numbers to save costs, part of the conditions of its funding settlement with central government after Covid slashed revenues.

Under the plans 600 jobs are scheduled to be cut, while pension schemes may also be reviewed. The RMT says the job cuts will affect safety and working conditions.

The union’s general secretary, Mick Lynch, said: “This week of action will shut down the London Underground and show just how important the work of our members is.

“Plans by TfL to cut 600 jobs and attack our members’ pensions are simply unacceptable. We are aware that the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has had the TfL budget cut.

“However, he needs to align himself with our union and his London Underground staff in pushing back against the Tory government, exposing their damaging agenda to a key part of London transport infrastructure.”

Glynn Barton, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We are disappointed that the RMT has announced strike action on this range of issues that we have been attempting to discuss with them openly and cooperatively.

“We are urging the union to reconsider and engage with us to discuss the issues and seek a resolution.

“There are no current proposals to change pension arrangements and, although we are discussing with union colleagues a range of proposals to improve how London Underground operates, no employee will lose their job or be asked to work additional hours.”