London Underground drivers will walk out next month, bringing chaos to the capital in a protest over pay and working conditions.
Members of the Aslef union voted overwhelmingly to walk out on a number of dates in November, to cause maximum disruption.
Train operators and management grades will not work on 7 and 12 November, while there is an overtime ban in place on Sunday 3 November and Saturday 16 November.
Aslef also said engineering drivers will not work from late on Friday 1 November to Saturday night, with an overtime ban also.
The union said Tube train drivers in the union-backed strikes by 98.8 per cent, with a turnout of 68 per cent.
This comes amid an improving economic picture, with inflation falling below the Bank of England’s two per cent target this morning, to 1.7 per cent.
Meanwhile, other London Underground workers are being balloted on Tube strikes over pay and conditions amid a dispute with TfL.
Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) in jobs including customer service and advising passengers in stations are being asked if they want to strike, with the ballot closing on 18 October.
TfL and Union urged to avoid strike
Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s full-time organiser on London Underground, said the strikes were because Transport for London bosses were still “refusing to even discuss key elements of our claim”.
“We don’t want to go on strike – we don’t want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don’t want to lose a day’s pay – but we have been forced into this position because LU management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.”
He said the strike was called six months after a date was agreed for a pay agreement to be set.
Underground management “refuse to discuss any reduction in the working week or introducing paid meal relief to bring Underground drivers in line with those on the Elizebeth line and London Overground.
The pay offer of 3.8 per cent, plus a variable lump sum, means Underground drivers will stay on a lower salary than drivers on other TfL services while working longer hours.
He also said the deal “means driving grades will receive a lower pay rise than other grades.”
Underground management insists that any changes to pay ranges will be entirely at management discretion – effectively removing the union’s right to negotiate for our members in future. And management still refuses to commit to making changes to working arrangements and conditions, including pensions, only through agreement.”
Aslef said its members had been “‘extremely patient as talks have dragged on – with no real progress – for months on end.”
Sadly, it is clear, once again, that Underground management will only get serious about reaching a settlement if there is the prospect of strike action.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Nobody wants to see strike action or disruption for Londoners.
The Mayor urges ASLEF and TfL to work together to avoid this industrial action.”
Transport for London has been asked for comment.