Tube services hit by 4-day week row

London Underground passengers are set to face major disruption this week as Tube drivers stage strikes over plans to introduce a voluntary four-day working week with compressed hours.

The industrial action, led by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), begins Tuesday, followed by another 24-hour strike starting at midday on Thursday and continuing to affect services into Friday.

According to Transport for London (TfL), the strikes are expected to severely impact several key lines. No service is anticipated on the Circle and Piccadilly lines, while parts of the Metropolitan and Central lines are also likely to be suspended.

At the heart of the dispute is a proposal that would allow drivers to work longer shifts across four days instead of the traditional five-day schedule. Members of the train drivers’ union Aslef accepted the agreement, but RMT members rejected it.

TfL criticized the planned walkouts as “disappointing,” emphasizing that drivers would still have the option to remain on a standard five-day schedule.

The RMT, however, argues that London Underground management failed to properly negotiate the proposed changes with staff.

Aslef defended the arrangement, saying the voluntary scheme would provide participating drivers with an additional 35 days off each year in exchange for relatively minor adjustments to working conditions.

In comments to the BBC, an Aslef spokesperson sharply criticized the strikes, describing them as “the first strike in the history of the trade union movement designed to stop people having a shorter working week and more time off.”

Although many Tube drivers are expected to continue working during the industrial action, significant delays and cancellations are still expected across large parts of the London Underground network.