Tube passengers face a week of chaos at the end of July, including the near certain shutdown of the London Underground for at least two full days, it emerged on Monday.
Aslef, which represents the vast majority of Tube drivers, said its members would go on strike over feared changed to their pensions and working conditions on Wednesday July 26 and Friday July 28.
This will overlap with a week-long “rolling” action called by the RMT union, which represents about 10,000 station staff – meaning Transport for London bosses will be left with little option but to shut the network for much of the week.
This is what will be the first week of the school summer holidays - most state schools will break up for summer on Friday July 21 - and could add to problems faced by families heading on vacation.
Finn Brennan, Aslef’s organiser on London Underground, said the strike – the latest in a long-running campaign by the unions to resist TfL “modernisation” – had been called after alleged new threats to working practices.
He said: “We take action only when needed. Unfortunately, the last few weeks have shown that London Underground management are determined to try to push through detrimental changes – despite trade union opposition – if they think they can get away with it.”
He said TfL had announced that a new “attendance procedure” would be implemented from January which would mean “no right to representation or appeal at stage one of the disciplinary process” and meaning that warnings remained on an employee’s record for a year, twice as long as at present.
Concerns had also emerged about the treatment of drivers who go sick for more than a week.
Changes to shift patterns would “make it impossible for Tube train drivers to organise their lives outside work or to have an effective change over system”, he added.
Mr Brennan said: “Their aim is an entirely flexible workforce with all existing agreements replaced – allowing them to cut hundreds more jobs and forcing those of us who remain to work harder for longer.
“To protect our pensions, working conditions, and agreements, our members are ready to act. Management need to realise that we will not just allow them to use the pandemic and government funding agreements to undermine everything we have achieved in the past.”
Aslef members have been told not to book on for shifts between 00.01 and 23.59 on Wednesday July 26 and 00.01 and 23.59 on Friday July 28.
Last week the RMT said its Tube members would go on strike from Sunday July 23 until July 28, other than on Monday 24.
This action will be done on a rolling basis, with different grades taking action at different times.
TfL is normally able to run a skeleton service during RMT strikes, including “shuttle” services on above-ground parts of the Tube network.
But when Aslef members walk out at the same time, it inevitably forces the shutdown of the entire network.
This forces more Londoners onto the Elizabeth line and London Overground - both of which will be unaffected by these strikes - or onto buses, cars and bikes.
In May, RMT voted overwhelmingly to renew their legal mandate for strike action for a further six months.
Aslef Tube drivers last went on strike on March 15 - Budget Day - alongside RMT members.
There were six RMT strikes last year. Traditionally, Aslef has sought to avoid calling Tube drivers out on strike but there are high levels of concern about the perceived threat to TfL pensions, though TfL remains deadlocked with the Government on the issue and no definitive proposals have been published,
Glynn Barton, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We are disappointed that Aslef has announced strike action which will coincide with the action already announced by the RMT. We are urging both unions to reconsider this action and engage with us to discuss the issues and seek a resolution.
"There are no current proposals to change pension arrangements and, although we are discussing with union colleagues a range of proposals to improve how London Underground operates, no employee will lose their job or be asked to work additional hours.
"We are trying to create a fairer, more efficient London Underground that works for our staff and for London. All stations would remain well staffed at all times and we believe that our proposals would give an even better and more reliable service to our customers both in terms of our stations and our train services.”
