A major Tube strike set to cost London’s economy £230 million was approved by only 57% of RMT union members, according to new figures. The industrial action, which threatens six days of disruption starting Sunday, was backed by 6,004 of the union’s 10,424 London Underground members, with 4,196 members not voting.
Transport for London (TfL) has warned commuters to expect “little to no service” on the Tube from Monday to Thursday next week. The strike, called by the RMT executive, centres on demands for a 32-hour working week and a pay rise, despite TfL offering a 3.4% increase to all 16,500 Tube staff.
Research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) estimates the strike will cause a direct £230m hit to the capital’s economy, with indirect impacts adding significantly more. The CEBR noted that central London retailers, bars, and restaurants face a noticeable fall in customers, while congestion on roads is expected to increase sharply.
TfL has called on RMT chiefs to give Tube staff a vote on the proposed pay rise and described the 32-hour week demand as “neither practical nor affordable”. Despite ongoing discussions, little progress has been made, with TfL stating it is “working hard to try to resolve the dispute”.
Since Mayor Sadiq Khan took office in 2016, 37,671 Tube shifts have been lost to strikes. The mayor, who pledged “zero days of strikes” before his election, has faced criticism from Conservative transport spokesman Keith Prince, who noted 139 Tube strikes between May 2016 and January 2024.
