London Underground drivers to go on 24-hour strike
London Underground drivers have voted to go on strike again as a dispute over work conditions and pensions rumbles on.
ASLEF members on London Underground will strike for 24 hours on Wednesday, March 15.
The Tube train drivers voted by 99 per cent in favour of strike action on a turnout of 77 per cent in a dispute they claim saw Transport for London (TfL) fail to accept that changes to working arrangements and pensions should only happen by agreement.
ASLEF members in other roles on the Underground – including test train and engineering train drivers and those in management grades – also voted in favour of strikes by similar margins and will walk out on the same day.
Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s full-time organiser on the Underground, said: “The size of these yes votes, and the large turnouts, show that our members are not prepared to put up any longer with the threats to their working conditions and pensions.
“We understand that TfL faces financial challenges, post-pandemic, but our members are simply not prepared to pay the price for the Government’s failure to properly fund London’s public transport system.
“Cuts to safety training have already been forced through and management is open that they plan to remove all current working agreements under the guise of modernisation and flexibility and to replace the agreed attendance and discipline policies.
“Proposals to slash pension benefits are due to be announced in the next week.
“We are always prepared to discuss and negotiate on changes, but our members want an unequivocal commitment from TfL that management will not continue to force through detrimental changes without agreement.
“Unless they are prepared to work with us, and accept that changes have to come by agreement, and bring real benefits to staff, rather than just cuts and cost savings, this will be only the first day of action in a protracted dispute.”
TfL has been contacted for comment.
(Picture: TfL)
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