London Underground drivers will strike for 12 days in a row in the spring during a four-day working week, the RMT has announced.
The union said London Underground bosses were pressing ahead with plans to condense the number of working days into the week, despite its members rejecting the proposals.
The plans have been warmly supported by train drivers’ union Aslef, which welcomes the extra days off.
However, the RMT said it was concerned about shift lengths, unacceptable working time arrangements and the potential impact on fatigue and safety.
The RMT said it had around 1,800 member drivers, believed to represent between 40% and 50% of drivers working on the subway.
A series of six 24-hour weekday strikes will begin on Tuesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 26, lasting from noon until the same time the next day. The same pattern of strikes, which will mean four days of transport interruption in the capital, will be repeated from April 21 to May 19.
The union said its members would also be instructed to no longer use any electronic devices issued by London Underground, including iPads.
Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the RMT, said: “London Underground is trying to impose major changes to working patterns that have already been rejected by our members.
“We are clear that these proposals raise serious concerns around fatigue, safety and work-life balance.”
Dempsey said there was still time to avoid a strike, but said the union “will go on strike if we can’t reach a negotiated agreement.”
The union organized a week-long strike last September across the London Underground, at that time to reduce the length of the working week.
Finn Brennan, London district organizer for the Aslef union, said the strike was strange. He said the proposals remained voluntary, adding: “It will be the first time in the history of the union movement that a union has voted to strike against a shorter week and fewer working days.”
