Londoners are bracing for travel disruption in the run-up to Christmas and into the New Year after the RMT union announced a series of 24-hour Tube strikes, compounded by major engineering works on the rail network.
The union is staging eight walkouts in a long-running dispute over a four-day week for Tube drivers. The latest industrial action follows several strikes earlier this year.
Strike Dates and Core Dispute
The RMT and Transport for London held talks over the summer to try to resolve the stand-off, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement over the changes, which are strongly backed by the Aslef train drivers' union.
Aslef stressed that the reforms would give drivers, many of whom earn more than £70,000, more time away from work and cut rostered hours to 34 from the current average of 36. The RMT argued that the changes are being forced on drivers and that it is not a genuine four-day week.
The announced strike dates are: Thursday 26 November 2026, Thursday 17 December 2026, Saturday 19 December 2026, Monday 4 January 2027, Wednesday 6 January 2027, Wednesday 17 February 2027, Tuesday 23 February 2027, and Thursday 25 February 2027.
Union and Political Reactions
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said London Underground's proposals "raise serious concerns around fatigue, safety and work-life balance". He added: "London Underground is attempting to dress up a wholesale attack on drivers' working conditions as a voluntary four-day week. But there is nothing voluntary about a scheme that forces drivers to give up existing protections whether they work four days or five, and threatens those who refuse with displacement from their depots."
Finn Brennan, Aslef's full-time organiser on London Underground, said: "We are surprised that the RMT has, once again, decided to take strike action to try to prevent Underground drivers moving to a four-day week on a voluntary basis. A strike designed to stop people having the choice of a shorter working week and more time off is a strange choice to make."
Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden was more outspoken, saying: "These RMT militants who bankroll hand-picked Labour MPs do not care about better services, they do not care about passengers and they do not care about our capital city – all they care about is beating as much cash out of this weak piñata of a Labour Mayor and Government as they can."
Business Concerns and Rail Works
Business leaders in London also criticised the industrial action. Ed Richardson, transport programme director at BusinessLDN, said: "These strikes will not bring any festive cheer to Londoners and visitors that rely on the Tube to get around the city."
On the wider rail network, Paddington station in west London will be shut down as a result of railway upgrade works between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. The Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express trains will not run west of Paddington until December 31 as a result.
According to National Rail, trains into Waterloo will be reduced and run an amended timetable on Sunday December 27 and Monday December 28 due to engineering crews being on the ground in the Queenstown Road area. There will be no Southeastern trains to Charing Cross, Waterloo East, Canon Street or via Lewisham on the same days due to work on the track around New Cross, south-east London.
