London Underground workers have initiated a five-day Tube strike in the Capital, causing travel disruptions for commuters. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are on strike due to an ongoing disagreement over pay and working hours. Limited Tube services will be available until 6 pm today, with minimal to no service across the London Underground network from Monday to Thursday. The Elizabeth Line and London Overground will operate as usual but may not stop at Tube line-connected stations.
Commuters are advised that these services, along with buses, will experience increased congestion. Additionally, the DLR will have no service on Tuesday and Thursday due to a separate dispute. Transport for London (TfL) has announced that any Tube services running on Sunday will end earlier than usual, and the Tube will open later than usual on Friday, September 12, at 8 am.
Stations served by Great Northern, Southern, and Thameslink may be closed, and train schedules altered. London Underground station staff may not be present to open some stations at certain times, preventing passengers from entering or exiting and resulting in trains skipping those stations.
The RMT strike focuses on pay, “fatigue management,” and a request for a 32-hour workweek. TfL has proposed a 3.4% pay increase and expressed openness to further discussions with the unions. However, TfL stated that reducing the contractual 35-hour workweek to 32 hours is neither feasible nor affordable.
The industrial action has led to the rescheduling of two artists’ concerts. Coldplay apologized for rescheduling the final two dates of their Wembley Stadium shows due to the strikes, making it logistically challenging to transport and accommodate the large audience safely. Post Malone also had to reschedule two concerts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium because an event license could not be granted without adequate public transport, with the new dates set for September 20 and 21, offering refunds to affected concertgoers.