Tube strikes London LIVE: Disruption to last until Saturday as Central & Victoria line drivers strike over night shifts
LONDON faces another weekend of strike chaos after Tube drivers voted to walk out for the second time in a week.
Complaining that the return of the capital's night Tube service will destroy their "work / life balance", drivers on the Central and Victoria line will strike this evening from 7pm until 4.29am tomorrow, and do the same thing again on Saturday night.
London Underground bosses rejected calls from the RMT to hire dedicated Night Tube drivers to fill in the shifts during discussions this week.
They say the resumption of the Night Tube only means drivers will have to work four night shifts a year making a minimal impact on their work / life balance.
But the RMT Union said it's “become clear the drive from tube bosses is all about cutting costs regardless of the impact on staff and the services they operate”.
TfL said there was potential for “little or no service” on the Victoria and Central lines for the next three weekends.
Read our Tube Strike live blog for the latest news and updates…
- Joseph Gamp
RMT members walk out
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union walked out for eight hours from 8.30pm on the Central and Victoria lines in a dispute over rosters.
The weekend overnight service, introduced in 2016, was suspended last year because of the pandemic and was disrupted by industrial action when it resumed last weekend.
The union claims Transport for London (TfL) has "ripped up" an agreement on drivers being allowed to choose whether to work on night services.
- Joseph Gamp
Masks row breaks out between Tube passengers
A MASK row broke out between commuters on a train after one passenger refused to let others sit on a seat next to her.
Three women were locked in a brawl after one passenger, wearing a black hat and pink coat, refused to move her bag to let anyone else sit down on the Tube.
At one point during the bizarre altercation, a third woman forced her way into the seat despite the pushing and kicking from the pink-coat lady.
She then jumped up shouting about how she was exempt from wearing a mask – with the blonde woman responding: "I'm exempt as well."
The row started when the second woman, wearing a black coat, tried to sit on the Tube seat.
But the seated passenger said: “What is wrong with you? Did you just come out of cave?"
The standing passenger wearing a black coat argued back saying: “Out of a cave?Are you actually going to put your hands on me over a seat on a train that I have paid for today?”
- Joseph Gamp
Full day strikes planned for December 18
Full-day strikes are planned on Saturday 18 December between 04:30 and 04:29 the following day.
Full-day strikes are planned on the following lines:
- Victoria
- Central
- Jubilee
- Northern
- Piccadilly
- Joseph Gamp
Driver's strike 'solidly supported'
A strike by drivers on London Underground's Night Tube was said to be "solidly supported" on Friday evening.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union walked out for eight hours from 8.30pm on the Central and Victoria lines in a dispute over rosters.
The weekend overnight service, introduced in 2016, was suspended last year because of the pandemic and was disrupted by industrial action when it resumed last weekend.
The union claims Transport for London (TfL) has "ripped up" an agreement on drivers being allowed to choose whether to work on night services.
Another strike will be held from Saturday evening, followed by further stoppages in the run-up to Christmas.
TfL said drivers will only work four nights a year, adding that new rosters have been agreed by other unions.
- Joseph Gamp
RMT tweets about Night Tube strike
Thh RMT tweeted: "Tube Union RMT said that strike action in a fight to stop the ripping up of Night Tube agreements and working arrangements that would wreck the work life balance of drivers, is rock solid again tonight."
- Joseph Gamp
‘Strike action is needless’
Nick Dent, director of London Underground customer operations, added: “The RMT’s planned strike action is needless and it will threaten London’s recovery from the pandemic, despite no job losses and more flexibility and job certainty for drivers.
“While every other union has agreed to these changes and our staff have been enjoying the benefits of the changes since August, we’re willing to work with the RMT and review the changes after Night Tube services have returned.
“This review can only be successful if the RMT agrees to meet us for talks and withdraws its proposed action so we can all see how these changes will work in practice.
“If the RMT refuses to engage with us and carries out its unnecessary action, which is timed to cause maximum disruption for our customers looking to enjoy London during the festive season, Londoners are advised to check before they travel on days of planned strike action.”
- Joseph Gamp
Can I get fined for drinking alcohol on the Tube?
According to the Transport for London (TfL) conditions of carriage it is prohibited to carry opened containers of alcohol and to drink alcohol on TfL services.
Clause 2.6 of the TfL Conditions of Carriage says: "On our buses, trams and trains, in our bus and rail stations and on tram platforms, you must not: consume alcohol [or] be in possession of an open container of alcohol."
Famous rule breakers include the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Diane Abbott, who was pictured in April 2019 swigging a £2 Marks & Spencer mojito on an overground train in North London.
On another occasion, a drunk man with no shoes or trousers was spotted sleeping whilst standing up on a London Tube.
Alcohol was banned on the London Underground on June 1, 2008, in one of Boris Johnson's first policy statements after he became Mayor of London.
The ruling drew criticism from transport unions who said they were not consulted on the alcohol ban, and that having to confront drinkers could put staff in danger.
- Joseph Gamp
London Underground says serious consequences in the run-up to Christmas
Nick Dent, director of London Underground customer operations, said the strike by RMT was “avoidable” and it might have serious consequences as it comes ahead of Christmas.
Nick said the strike: “will threaten London’s recovery from the pandemic, despite no job losses and more flexibility and job certainty for drivers”.
“While every other union has agreed to these changes and our staff have been enjoying the benefits of the changes since August, we’re willing to work with the RMT and review the changes after Night Tube services have returned,” he added.
- Joseph Gamp
History of the night tube
The first lines to take on the 24-hour service were the Central and Victoria lines on August 19, 2016.
Central line services run between Ealing Broadway and Loughton/Hainault while the entire Victoria line stays open.
Services were then launched on the Northern line and the Piccadilly line joined the network.
And in July, 2017, it was announced the London Overground, also referred to as the Orange Line, will operate all night on Friday and Saturdays between New Cross Gate and Dalston Junction – with the service to then be extended to Highbury & Islington in 2018.
The Northern line ran a 24-hour from Morden via Camden Town and on to Edgeware/High Barnet with no service on the Bank or Mill Hill East branches.
Piccadilly line ran between Cockfosters and Heathrow Terminal 5 with no services on the Terminal 4 loop or between Uxbridge and Acton Town.
- Joseph Gamp
Is the London Night Tube on this evening?
Tube workers are going on strike between 20:30 this evening and 04:29 on Saturday morning on the Central line and Victoria line.
Commuters should check before they leave for work to see whether the lines are heavily affected.
Those travelling will be able to use the official TFL website to check for closures and disruption.
- Joseph Gamp
Check before you travel this evening
Commuters should check before they leave for their commute to see whether the lines are heavily affected.
Those travelling will be able to use the Official TFL website to check for closures and disruption.
- Joseph Gamp
Walking and Cycling
Londoners are never more than 600m away from a Santander Cycle hire point in the centre of the capital.
Meanwhile Brompton Bike Hire are offering free bike hire at their docks across London.
Many parts of Zone 1 are walkable and people are advised to walk or cycle where possible.
Walking and cycle maps of the West End and the City of London can be downloaded from the TfL website.
- Joseph Gamp
Are there any other future Tube strikes?
The strike action is due to continue in the same vein over the next weekend and until December 18.
There will also be another five-line 24-hour shutdown on the final Saturday before Christmas.
TfL has called for RMT to call off the strike and enter talks about the staffing requirements of the Night Tube.
- Joseph Gamp
Why is there a strike?
The ongoing dispute is over the night shifts that drivers will be required to work to enable the restart of the Night Tube. Since the start of the pandemic it has been suspended, but was due to resume in the early hours of Saturday , November 27, 2021, for the first time.
The Night Tube was ditched in March 2020 so more trains could run during the day to increase social distancing, but following the murder of Sarah Everard, thousands signed a petition to bring it back amid concerns for women's safety.
The RMT claim that the workloads being forced on Tube drivers would wreck their work-life balance by “bulldozing through additional night and weekend working”. But TfL say that the changes have been agreed by other unions and would bean that drivers have to work four night shifts per year.
A strike is taking place on Friday, December 3, (evening and overnight) and Saturday, December 4, (evening and overnight) from 8.30pm until 4.29am the next day:
TfL hopes that the Night Tube will still be able to run but have admitted there are likely to be fewer trains than they hoped.
- Joseph Gamp
Dozens of maskless passengers hit with £200 fine
Dozens of maskless passengers have been fined as compulsory face coverings were reinstated.
Face coverings become mandatory again on public transport from Tuesday amid rising concerns about the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
Some 152 people in London were ordered to pay a £200 fine on Tuesday, according to Transport for London (TfL).
Another 125 were asked to leave TfL services, and 127 were prevented from boarding a service or entering a TfL station.
Meanwhile TfL said its staff reminded more than 5,100 people to cover their faces on its bus, Tube and rail network.
- Joseph Gamp
RMT confirm action
RMT has confirmed that strike action will go ahead again by tube drivers today.
They have said the strike action is because of “the ripping up of existing agreements and working arrangements in advance of the Night Tube reopening which the union says will wreck work life balance by bulldozing through additional night and weekend working.”
- Joseph Gamp
TfL: No drivers forced to switch to full or part-time hours
Transport for London said no drivers have been forced to switch to part or full-time work if they do not want to.
A statement said: "Since August when the changes came in, more than a quarter of our female Night Tube operators remain part-time, six remain on night shifts only and 11 have moved to part-time day shifts, which they couldn't do before grade consolidation.
"The figure for men remaining part-time is 16%, with eight remaining on night shifts and 16 moving to part-time day shifts.
"This shows the appetite for full-time work from drivers previously on Night Tube contracts."
- Joseph Gamp
RMT 'angry and disappointed' that Tube management 'failed to move forward'
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "We are angry and disappointed that the Tube management have refused to move forward based on genuine and realistic proposals that could have enabled us to recommend the suspension of the planned action. As a result the strike tomorrow goes ahead.
"The issue at the heart of the dispute is that the dedicated Night Tube driver grade, which was popular with women and those with caring responsibilities, and which the union fought to get written in to the original Night Tube agreement, has been ripped up with complete disregard for the staff themselves.
"We have made every effort in Acas and direct talks to resolve this dispute but it is increasingly clear that LU bosses are driven solely by the bottom line and appear to have no interest whatsoever in the wellbeing of their staff or the service to passengers."
- Joseph Gamp
London underground 'apologises' to customers for strike disruption
Nick Dent, London Underground's director of customer operations, said: "We're urging Night Tube customers to check before they travel this weekend ahead of more disruptive RMT strike action on the Central and Victoria lines.
"While I'm pleased we managed to run a safe and regular service on the Night Tube last weekend despite strike action, there is still a chance of severe disruption this weekend and up to Christmas.
"We've been in talks with the RMT for months to try and avoid this needless strike action.
"I apologise to customers for the disruption they may face and urge the RMT to continue talks with us, rather than threatening London with further strikes at a crucial time for its recovery."
- Joseph Gamp
London Underground warns of severe disruption this weekend
Travellers in London have been warned of "severe disruption" to the Night Tube this weekend as drivers stage a second round of strikes in a row over rosters.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for eight hours from Friday and Saturday evenings on the Central and Victoria lines, where the Night Tube is due to run.
The weekend overnight service, introduced in 2016, was suspended last year because of the pandemic and resumed last weekend, although it was disrupted by industrial action.
The union claims Transport for London has "ripped up" an agreement on drivers being allowed to choose whether to work on night services.
Further strikes are planned in the run-up to Christmas.
TfL said drivers will only work four nights a year, adding that new rosters have been agreed by other unions.
- Louis Allwood
RMT confirm action
RMT has confirmed that strike action will go ahead again by tube drivers today.
They have said the strike action is because of “the ripping up of existing agreements and working arrangements in advance of the Night Tube reopening which the union says will wreck work life balance by bulldozing through additional night and weekend working.”
- Louis Allwood
They are back
Tube workers are going on strike between 20:30 this evening and 04:29 on Saturday morning on the Central line and Victoria line.
- Louis Allwood
'Chance of severe disruption this weekend"
Nick Dent, London Underground’s director of customer operations, said: “We’re urging Night Tube customers to check before they travel this weekend ahead of more disruptive RMT strike action on the Central and Victoria lines.
“While I’m pleased we managed to run a safe and regular service on the Night Tube last weekend despite strike action, there is still a chance of severe disruption this weekend and up to Christmas.
“We’ve been in talks with the RMT for months to try and avoid this needless strike action. I apologise to customers for the disruption they may face and urge the RMT to continue talks with us, rather than threatening London with further strikes at a crucial time for its recovery.”
- Louis Allwood
Is the London Night Tube on this evening?
Tube workers are going on strike between 20:30 this evening and 04:29 on Saturday morning on the Central line and Victoria line.
Commuters should check before they leave for their commute to see whether the lines are heavily affected.
Those travelling will be able to use the Official TFL website to check for closures and disruption.
- Louis Allwood
‘Night Tube important after Sarah Everard murder’
People have taken to Twitter to express the importance of the Night Tube returning to London.
One wrote: “The return of the night tube is important – especially in light of the murder of Sarah Everard – but unethical cost-cutting and such a lack of respect or concern for a workforce is not the way forward.”
Another person said: “A tube strike on the weekend they were supposed to be reopening the night tube to help people get home safer? Good one”.
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