RMT Tube drivers to strike on eight days, starting 26 November

Strike dates

The RMT press release lists the following dates:

• Thursday 26 November 2026
• Thursday 17 December 2026
• Saturday 19 December 2026
• Monday 4 January 2027
• Wednesday 6 January 2027
• Wednesday 17 February 2027
• Tuesday 23 February 2027
• Thursday 25 February 2027

What the dispute is about

The dispute concerns London Underground's plan for a voluntary four-day working week alongside a new Trains Modernisation Framework. Under TfL's plans, the four-day week would be voluntary; the RMT calls it "so-called voluntary".

According to the RMT, the changes would mean more time driving trains, longer duties, earlier starts and later finishes, short-notice shift changes, and attacks on existing transfer rights and annual leave arrangements. The union says drivers who refuse face being moved from their depots into a flexible pool of staff. It also says the proposals would pave the way for hundreds of job cuts, pointing to initial rosters published for the Bakerloo line that show significant reductions in staffing. The union is calling for the proposals to be withdrawn.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: "London Underground is attempting to dress up a wholesale attack on drivers' working conditions as a voluntary four-day week."

He added that "there is nothing voluntary about a scheme that forces drivers to give up existing protections". Mr Dempsey said that "RMT is not opposed to a genuine four-day working week that benefits our members", but that the union would not accept it being used for job cuts and worse working conditions.

Aslef is not striking

The other train drivers' union, Aslef, has accepted the deal and is not taking part in the strikes. Finn Brennan, Aslef's organiser on London Underground, said: "We are surprised that the RMT has, once again, decided to take strike action". Aslef says the voluntary four-day week gives drivers an extra 35 days off a year. Mr Brennan also said: "Management have agreed that anyone who wants to keep working a five-day week will be able to do so without suffering any detriment".

There was no statement about the strikes on TfL's press releases page on the evening of 8 November. City A.M. said TfL and the mayor had been approached for comment.

What travellers should do

• The week before Christmas. The strikes on 17 and 19 December fall in the week before Christmas. If you are heading to an airport or station then, plan ahead.
• Check before you travel. It has not yet been announced which lines will run or how many trains. Check service status on tfl.gov.uk before setting off. Each strike runs until noon the next day, so disruption may continue into the following morning, for example on 27 November.
• Keep an eye on the news. Strikes planned for May this year were suspended after last-minute talks with TfL.

Londono Žinios will report further when TfL publishes more information.

Based on: RMT, "Tube drivers to take eight days of strike action over attacks on working conditions" (6 November 2026); City A.M., "Fresh tube strikes planned over four months" (6 November 2026); The Independent via Yahoo News UK (6 November 2026); Time Out London (6 November 2026); TfL press releases (viewed 8 November 2026).

Republication must credit Londonozinios.com as the source.