A deep financial chasm has emerged between the salaries of London's transport workers and the city's soaring property prices, igniting fresh waves of industrial action on the Tube network.
According to a stark new analysis by the RMT union, the average Transport for London (TfL) employee now faces a crippling £100,000 shortfall for a house deposit. The research highlights that while the average TfL salary sits at £55,000, a 20% deposit on a typical London home requires a staggering £155,000.
The Heart of the Dispute
This financial impossibility is at the core of the ongoing strikes, which have caused severe disruption for millions of commuters. Union bosses argue that stagnant wages have completely decoupled from the reality of living and working in the capital. The dispute isn't just about annual pay rises; it's about the very ability of key workers to build a stable life in the city they serve.
Beyond the Headlines: A Deeper Crisis
The figures paint a grim picture of the wider affordability crisis gripping London. With the average house price now at an eye-watering £775,000, homeownership is a distant dream for many on even relatively comfortable salaries. The situation is particularly acute for those without existing family wealth or property to leverage.
The RMT's general secretary, Mick Lynch, stated the strike action is a direct response to this untenable situation, emphasising that workers are "fighting for a wage that allows them to live in London, not just survive."
The union is demanding a significant pay increase that truly reflects the cost of living, alongside guarantees on jobs and conditions. For Londoners facing yet another day of travel chaos, the disruption underscores a much larger and more systemic problem at the heart of the capital's economy.
