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Unions agree on two days of Night Tube strikes

Much like RMT, members of Aslef union have voted unanimously in favour of a Night Tube strike, with 100% agreeing with the proposed industrial action on a major 75% turnout.

The news comes just a couple of days after RMT announced its own members voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike against allegedly “outrageous” and “blatantly discriminatory” policy imposed on Night Tube workers by London Underground – although no date has been set yet. The issue is currently sitting with RMT’s executive committee.

Aslef, however, has now announced it will be striking on the nights of 8 April and 29 April, both Saturdays.

Finn Brennan, the union’s organisation on the Underground, “Under the previous mayor, London Underground pushed through the recruitment of part-time staff to operate Night Tube because they weren't prepared to find a fair way to roster the work with full time staff. Boris Johnson believed that new part-time recruits could be used to undermine trade unions and attack conditions for existing staff.

“Instead, these new recruits saw that it made sense to join and get active in Aslef and have now delivered a huge yes vote to strike.”

Despite the strike threat, Aslef is still “determined to achieve a fair deal” for Night Tube drivers, Brennan argued, and hoped that the fact that the committee was giving LU “much longer than the normal seven days’ notice” required by law would give management “ample opportunity” to reach an agreement instead.

Indeed, there is still chance that the strikes will be called off, with Peter McNaught, operations director for LU, revealing that his organisation has met with the unions to “discuss and resolve the new issues that they have”.

“We have invited the unions to more talks this week and I encourage them to continue discussions with us rather than threaten industrial action,” added McNaught.

UPDATE

RMT has now announced that its Night Tube operators on Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines will also be striking from 20:30 on 8 April and and 29 April.

Its general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “Our executive has now considered the current position and has concluded that we have no option but to move forwards with the announcement of these strikes.

“RMT would call on LU to see sense, stop these stupid attacks on career progression and fair reward for overtime working and confirm that this discrimination against the Night Tube drivers has been lifted.”

(Top image c. TfL)