London commuters face a week of transport misery as Tube workers prepare to stage rolling strikes from 5 September, with the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) warning of “significant disruption” across the capital’s Underground network.
The industrial action, which will see different groups of staff walk out over seven consecutive days, comes amid bitter disputes over pay, fatigue management, and what the union describes as “extreme” shift patterns that are damaging workers’ health and wellbeing. In a separate row, Docklands Light Railway staff will also strike during the same period, compounding travel chaos for millions of Londoners.
The strikes will begin at 6pm on Friday, 5 September, when Depot Operational Control Managers at the Ruislip depot in west London launch a 24-hour walkout lasting until 5.59pm on Sunday, 7 September. From Sunday onwards, different divisions of workers will stage strikes between midnight and 11.59pm each day through to Thursday, 11 September.
Our members are doing a fantastic job to keep our capital moving and work strenuous shift patterns to make sure Londoners get to their destinations around the clock,” said RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey. They are not after a King’s ransom, but fatigue and extreme shift rotations are serious issues impacting on our members’ health and wellbeing, all of which have not been adequately addressed for years by LU management.
The union has accused Transport for London (TfL) of refusing to engage seriously with demands for improved working conditions, including calls for a reduction in the 35-hour working week. Outstanding issues around staff travel arrangements have created what Dempsey described as “an atmosphere of distrust” where workers feel “no one is listening to them.
Every Underground line will be affected by the strikes, though the Elizabeth line and London Overground will continue operating as their staff belong to different unions. The precise impact on individual lines and stations remains unclear, with TfL expected to provide detailed service updates closer to the strike dates.
Transport for London has defended its position, revealing it has offered workers a 3.4 per cent pay increase, in line with deals accepted by RMT members elsewhere in the rail sector. The offer comes as inflation measured by the retail prices index, the union’s preferred measure, stands at 4.8 per cent as of July 2025.
“We regularly meet with our trade unions to discuss any concerns that they may have, and we recently met with the RMT to discuss some specific points,” a TfL spokesperson said. “We are committed to ensuring our colleagues are treated fairly and, as well as offering a 3.4 per cent pay increase in our ongoing pay discussions, we have made progress on a number of commitments we have made previously.”
TfL insisted that reducing the contractual 35-hour working week is “neither practical nor affordable” but welcomed further engagement about fatigue and rostering issues. The transport authority urged the RMT to put the pay offer to its members rather than proceeding with strike action.
The strike mandate was achieved on a 57.5 per cent turnout among RMT members, before TfL’s current pay offer was tabled. Union sources suggest the relatively narrow margin reflects divided opinion among workers about the effectiveness of industrial action.
The timing of the strikes could not be worse for London’s economy and major events. The walkouts coincide with two of Coldplay’s headline concerts at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 7 September and Monday, 8 September, potentially leaving thousands of fans struggling to reach the venue.
Previous Tube strikes have cost London’s economy millions in lost productivity. A November 2022 strike was estimated by the Centre for Economics and Business Research to have cost £14 million in lost output, with 78,000 workers unable to reach their workplaces.
For commuters facing disruption, alternative transport options include London’s extensive bus network, where single fares are capped at £1.65 regardless of journey length. The London Cycle Hire Scheme provides another option, though bikes typically reach capacity quickly during peak strike times.
Black cabs and ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt will be available but expect surge pricing and longer wait times. National Express coaches run from central and outer London areas, while all major airports remain accessible by road, though traffic levels will be significantly higher than normal.
The strike schedule sees Track Access Controllers, London Underground Control Centre, Power/Control and ERU members walking out on Sunday, 7 September. This is followed by Fleet, Engineering, Stations and Trains members on Monday, 8 September, with Signallers, Service Control and ERU members striking on Tuesday, 9 September.
Wednesday, 10 September will see a repeat of Monday’s pattern, with Fleet, Engineering, Stations and Trains members walking out again. The action concludes on Thursday, 11 September with Signallers and Service Control members staging their final strike.
DLR workers will conduct their own strikes throughout the week beginning 7 September, lasting until 11 September, in their separate dispute over pay and working conditions. The dual action threatens to bring large swathes of London’s public transport network to a standstill.
Coupled with the fact there are outstanding issues around staff travel arrangements, an atmosphere of distrust has been created,” Dempsey added. “RMT will continue to engage LU management with a view to seeking a revised offer in order to reach a negotiated settlement.”
The last RMT strike on the London Underground occurred in November 2024, marking the end of what had been a relatively peaceful period for industrial relations on the network. This latest action signals a return to the transport disruption that plagued the capital throughout 2022 and 2023.
As negotiations continue, both sides face pressure to reach an agreement before the strikes begin. TfL has urged the union to reconsider, warning that strike action “will only disrupt Londoners” at a time when the transport network is still recovering from the financial impact of the pandemic.
For now, London’s commuters must brace themselves for a difficult start to September, with many likely to work from home or seek alternative transport arrangements during what promises to be a challenging week for the capital’s transport infrastructure.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
Image Credit (Shortened):
London Underground D Stock at Earl’s Court (29 Nov 2014) – by mattbuck, licensed under CC BY‑SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
