RMT Tube drivers strike in April over TfL's four-day week plan

In spring 2026, drivers on the London Underground who belong to the RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport union) began a series of strikes over Transport for London's plan to introduce a compressed four-day working week. The union announced the action in March, and walkouts of 24 hours, starting at midday, were scheduled for late April.

The RMT argued that the change would mean longer shifts, increase fatigue and create safety risks. Transport for London (TfL), which runs the capital's public transport, said the scheme was voluntary, left contractual hours unchanged and let drivers stay on a five-day pattern. The other drivers' union, Aslef, accepted the proposal.

The strikes caused widespread disruption, with reduced services on many lines and extra pressure on buses and other transport. The dispute mattered because it pitted a union against a flexible-working reform that TfL presented as beneficial for staff. It was not resolved in April, and further action and talks followed in the months afterwards.