The union batting for Tube drivers says Transport for London need to ‘stop being intransigent’
20:04, 05 Sep 2025Updated 20:40, 05 Sep 2025
An RMT union picket line outside Tottenham Court Road underground station during a previous strike(Image: Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)
Tube strikes look set to cripple London’s transport network next week as an insider claims a late deal appears unlikely. This evening a Transport for London (TfL) source told MyLondon: “Frankly I do not expect anything to change… I’m planning to cycle to work on Monday.” A Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) spokesperson told us TfL need to ‘stop being intransigent and get back round the table’.
RMT members, including drivers, signallers and maintenance workers, are to launch a series of strikes over pay and conditions, primarily centred on the union’s demand for a reduced 35-hour working week to 32 hours. TfL believe the demand is impractical and would cost tens-of-millions, and have instead tabled a 3.4 per cent increase in pay.
On Friday afternoon (September 5), Nick Dent, London Underground’s (LU) director of customer operations, told the PA News Agency it was not too late to avert industrial action. “We have met four times in the past two weeks and we would welcome further talks,” he said, adding: “It is not too late to call off the strikes and put our offer to the RMT members.”
Claire Mann (Transport for London) and Eddie Dempsey (RMT union)(Image: Getty Images/Tfl/RMT)
But as things stand, both sides have reached in impasse. Earlier this week we reported how even if a deal was reached over the weekend, it would still be likely to cause disruption into next week. Now the chance of that deal looks even more unlikely.
Claire Mann, Transport for London’s chief operating officer, said: “We remain open for discussions about any part of our offer, and we are committed to making sure our colleagues are treated fairly. We welcome further engagement from all of our unions about managing fatigue across the network but a reduction in the contractual 35-hour working week is neither practical nor affordable.”
Tonight an RMT spokesperson told MyLondon: “We believe a shorter working week is fair and affordable particularly when you consider TfL has a surplus of £166m last year and a £10bn annual operating budget.
“There are 2,000 fewer staff working on London Underground since 2018 and our members are feeling the strain of extreme shift patterns, giving rise to potential health problems due to fatigue.
“London Underground is doing well financially and all our members want is fair consideration. But TfL is refusing to even consider marginally reducing the working week, citing costs ranging from tens of millions to now hundreds of millions. They need to stop being intransigent and get back round the table.”
‘Plan ahead’
A commuter passes a shuttered entrance to Moorgate Underground Station(Image: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
TfL has warned there will be no services between Monday, September 8 and Thursday, September 11, with some disruption on Sunday (September 7). The strikes will mean some stations served by Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink will be shut and train times altered. Passengers have been told to plan ahead and expect trains to be much busier than usual.
The affected stations are:
- Farringdon (Thameslink)
- Moorgate (Great Northern)
- Old Street (Great Northern)
- Essex Road (Great Northern)
- Highbury and Islington (Great Northern)
- Drayton Park (Great Northern)
- Wembley Central (Southern)
- Harrow and Wealdstone (Southern)
London Underground station staff will not be available to open some of these stations at certain times on some days, meaning passengers will not be able to enter or exit and trains will not call there.
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