London Underground passengers are to face two one-day strikes in April and May, unless a dispute over changes to working conditions is resolved in time.
Tube drivers who are members of the Aslef union, which represents 96% of train drivers in Britain, plan to strike on Monday 8 April and Saturday 4 May.
Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser on London Underground, said: “Aslef tube train drivers will strike in April and May in a long-running dispute over London Underground’s failure 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.”
He said under the proposals, staff would have to work longer shifts, spending up to 25% more time in the cab, and current working agreements would be removed in the name of “flexibility and efficiency”.
Brennan said the changes were about “getting people to work harder and longer for less”. He added that management had also failed to deliver on commitments made to the union on making drivers’ cabs secure, on police numbers on the night tube and on training.
He said the union remained ready to talk but wanted to see “real action from management – not easily broken promises”.
