Tube drivers announce eight 24-hour strikes from 26 November over four-day week

If you rely on the Tube, get your diary out. London Underground drivers in the RMT union (the Rail, Maritime and Transport union) have announced eight 24-hour strikes, and several land right in the run-up to Christmas.

What happened?

The first walkout is on 26 November. After that come 17 December, 19 December, 4 January, 6 January, 17 February, 23 February and 25 February.

The row is about Transport for London (TfL, the capital's transport authority) plans to change drivers' working conditions, including a four-day working week. The RMT says drivers would spend more time driving trains and work longer days. TfL says the change would be voluntary and that drivers would work fewer hours overall.

What does each side say?

Under TfL's proposals, most drivers' working week would fall from 36 hours to 35. Contractual hours would stay the same because paid meal breaks would be introduced. In practice, that means longer days but fewer of them. Drivers who prefer five days would stay at their current depot, TfL says.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said the company was trying to "dress up a wholesale attack on drivers' working conditions as a voluntary four-day week". The union also believes the changes would "pave the way for hundreds of job cuts". It wants a 32-hour week over four days for the same pay.

The Aslef union, which represents many other drivers, said it was "surprised" by the action. Its organiser Finn Brennan said the voluntary scheme would give drivers an extra 35 days off a year. About half of the network's drivers are RMT members.

BusinessLDN, a business group, warned that hospitality would be hit hardest before Christmas. It urged both sides to reach a deal.

What came before?

This dispute has been rumbling for months. Earlier strikes this year caused major disruption, with some lines closed entirely. TfL said Tube usage fell by 41% on one strike day in June.

Talks have continued since, but the RMT has not accepted TfL's offer. BBC London's transport correspondent Tom Edwards called it a "long-running, festering dispute" and noted that strikes have been called off before.

What's next?

Nothing is cancelled yet, so the dates stand for now. If you have plans on any of the strike days, it is worth checking TfL's travel updates and having a backup route ready.