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The Tube strike on 10 November 2022 may have cost London's economy £14 million in lost output, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research. An estimated 78,000 commuters whose physical presence is required to work were unable to travel.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 November 2022 |title=How strikes are slowing the economic recovery and hastening the arrival of driverless trains: Industrial action by the RMT union could backfire unless new talks can offer headway |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2734871404/EE729C4BA286438APQ/12 |access-date=2022-12-07 |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref>
The Tube strike on 10 November 2022 may have cost London's economy £14 million in lost output, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research. An estimated 78,000 commuters whose physical presence is required to work were unable to travel.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 November 2022 |title=How strikes are slowing the economic recovery and hastening the arrival of driverless trains: Industrial action by the RMT union could backfire unless new talks can offer headway |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2734871404/EE729C4BA286438APQ/12 |access-date=2022-12-07 |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref>


During the rail strike on 19 August 2022, more London commuters went to work compared to previous strike days.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Lydall |first=Ross |last2=Cecil |first2=Nicholas |last3=Talora |first3=Joe |date=19 August 2022 |title='End London's Strike Misery?': Union bosses under fire for bringing Tube to virtual shutdown |edition=West End Final |page=1 |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2704057476/1FEF0ADA15634657PQ/2 |access-date=2022-12-07 |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> They cycled or took buses and trains, including the [[Elizabeth line|Elizabeth Line]].<ref name=":4" />
During the rail strike on 19 August 2022, more London commuters went to work compared to previous strike days.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Lydall |first=Ross |last2=Cecil |first2=Nicholas |last3=Talora |first3=Joe |date=19 August 2022 |title='End London's Strike Misery?': Union bosses under fire for bringing Tube to virtual shutdown |edition=West End Final |page=1 |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2704057476/1FEF0ADA15634657PQ/2 |access-date=2022-12-07 |via=[[ProQuest]]}}</ref> They cycled or took buses and trains, including the [[Elizabeth line|Elizabeth Line]].<ref name=":4" /> The [[Santander Cycles|London Cycle Hire Scheme]] has provided an alternative means of transport during Tube strikes, but quickly reaches capacity during peak travel times.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Yang |first=Yuanxuan |last2=Beecham |first2=Roger |last3=Heppenstall |first3=Alison |last4=Turner |first4=Andy |last5=Comber |first5=Alexis |date=January 2022 |title=Understanding the impacts of public transit disruptions on bikeshare schemes and cycling behaviours using spatiotemporal and graph-based analysis: A case study of four London Tube strikes |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2021.103255 |journal=Journal of Transport Geography |volume=98 |doi=10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2021.103255 |via=Science Direct}}</ref>


==Legislation==
==Legislation==

Revision as of 23:25, 7 December 2022

Tube Strike sign at Paddington.

London Underground strikes are a recurring part of life in the capital of the United Kingdom. Described as "one of Britain's most strike-prone industries",[1] the partially privatised London Underground has been subject to travel disruption due to industrial action organised by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and other unions, in response to disputes over pay, safety, pensions, and working conditions.

As of 6 December 2022, there are no Tube strikes planned before the end of the year.[2]

Background

The RMT and Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) have had a number of disputes with both London Underground and privatised contractors including Metronet and Tube Lines[3][4] over pay, safety, pensions and job security, leading to travel disruption in the capital.[5]

Public response and impact

The Tube strike on 10 November 2022 may have cost London's economy £14 million in lost output, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research. An estimated 78,000 commuters whose physical presence is required to work were unable to travel.[6]

During the rail strike on 19 August 2022, more London commuters went to work compared to previous strike days.[7] They cycled or took buses and trains, including the Elizabeth Line.[7] The London Cycle Hire Scheme has provided an alternative means of transport during Tube strikes, but quickly reaches capacity during peak travel times.[8]

Legislation

As of 7 December 2022, a bill requiring minimum levels of service to be maintained on transport networks during strikes had been introduced to Parliament, but had not yet been debated.[9]

Past strikes

Start End Participants Nature of dispute Notes
2022-11-25 2022-11-25 RMT at some Tube stations Reduction of 600 station staff jobs[10] Some stations opened later or closed earlier, including Euston, Green Park, Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3, Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5, Hatton Cross, Hounslow West, King's Cross St Pancras, and Victoria[10]
2022-11-10 2022-11-11 RMT, Unite Jobs and pensions[11] Nine out of eleven London Underground stations closed; Central and Northern Lines partially open[11]
2022-08-19 2022-08-20 0800 BST RMT, Unite Pensions, jobs, and working conditions[12] Timed to coincide with major industrial action by 40,000 RMT members working for Network Rail and 14 train operators on 18 and 20 August 2022[13]
2022-06-21 2022-06-22 RMT Compulsory redundancies and pensions[14] Timed to coincide with the first of three National Rail strike days; some reduction in TfL service on the other days where track is shared[14]
2017-01-08 1800 GMT 2017-01-09 1800 GMT RMT In response to the cutting of 900 station jobs;[15] per TfL, "Station Staffing and Safety Arrangements"[16] "This action has been forced on us by savage cuts to jobs that have reduced London Underground to an under-staffed death trap at a time of heightened security and safety alert."[15]
2010-09-06 17:00, 21:00[17] 2010-09-07 21:00[17] RMT, TSSA[18] Removal of 800 safety-critical jobs.[17] "RMT are up in arms at TfL's attempts to get volunteers to help people's travel plans."[19] [20] "Boris Bikes part of plans to mitigate effects of London tube strike".[21]
2010-10-03 18:30[22] ?? RMT ? [20] "With both the Mayor's office and the unions refusing to budge on the need to reduce manpower on the network, and the unions slowly escalating the non-strike action, it looks likely that this will be a long running saga."[22]
2010-11-02 ?? RMT ? [20]
2010-11-28 2010-11-29[23] RMT ? [20]
2011-06-19 2011-06-?? RMT "The sacking of Arwyn Thomas, a driver member of the RMT who was dismissed for ‘unacceptable behaviour’ towards a colleague."[24] On 15 June 2011 the RMT announced a strike would begin on 19 June 2011, disrupting the Wimbledon Championships.[25] On 22 June, a tribunal ruled that the sacking was unfair.[26] On 24 June 2011, the strikes were cancelled after London Underground reinstated the Tube driver at the centre of the dispute.[24]
2014-02-04 2014-02-06 RMT ? Further strikes over TfL's plans to close Underground ticket offices took place in February 2014.[27]
2014-04-?? 2014-04-?? RMT ? More strikes took place in April/May 2014.[28]

A strike ended 21:00 BST, Wednesday 30 April.[29]

2014-05-05 18:30 BST (?) 2014-05-08 18:29 BST (?) All "fleet grade" members of the RMT. "[London Underground]’s plans to slash jobs and close ticket offices [..., and] replace skilled workers with unreliable automation in all areas of its work, including train maintenance, engineering, service control and train operation."[30] [31]
2014-05-05 21:00 BST (?) 2014-05-08 20:59 BST (?) Non-"fleet grade" members of the RMT. as above [30]
2016-12-24 2016-12-25 RMT "The dispute is over tube station staffing and safety. Over 3000 RMT station staff members were balloted for action over the impact on safety from the axing of nearly 900 front-line workers alongside the closure of tube ticket offices. RMT says that the cuts have left safety on a knife edge with the incidents at Canning Town and North Greenwich throwing the spotlight on dangers which are being worsened by the cuts process."[32] 85% voted for strike action and 94% for action short of a strike in the ballot.[33] Called off on 22 December 2016.[34]

References

  1. ^ Darlington, Ralph (24–27 August 2009). "RMT Strike Activity on London Underground: Incidence, Dynamics and Causes" (PDF). 15th International Industrial Relations Association Conference – via International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA).
  2. ^ Finnis, Alex (6 December 2022). "Are there Tube strikes in December 2022? What planned rail strike dates mean for the London Underground". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  3. ^ Train drivers' union ASLEF represents London Underground train drivers, and has co-ordinated disputes with the RMT
  4. ^ "England | Second Tube strike hits London". BBC News. 2 October 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Tube strike causes travel chaos". BBC News. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  6. ^ "How strikes are slowing the economic recovery and hastening the arrival of driverless trains: Industrial action by the RMT union could backfire unless new talks can offer headway". The Daily Telegraph. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ a b Lydall, Ross; Cecil, Nicholas; Talora, Joe (19 August 2022). "'End London's Strike Misery?': Union bosses under fire for bringing Tube to virtual shutdown". Evening Standard (West End Final ed.). p. 1. Retrieved 7 December 2022 – via ProQuest.
  8. ^ Yang, Yuanxuan; Beecham, Roger; Heppenstall, Alison; Turner, Andy; Comber, Alexis (January 2022). "Understanding the impacts of public transit disruptions on bikeshare schemes and cycling behaviours using spatiotemporal and graph-based analysis: A case study of four London Tube strikes". Journal of Transport Geography. 98. doi:10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2021.103255 – via Science Direct.
  9. ^ Morton, Becky (7 December 2022). "PMQs: Rishi Sunak working on 'tough' new anti-strike laws". BBC News. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  10. ^ a b McCann, Jaymi (25 November 2022). "London strike dates: When train, Tube and TfL bus strikes are next planned in November and December 2022". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  11. ^ a b Lancefield, Neil; Jones, Alan (10 November 2022). "Tube strike causing travel misery in London". Press Association. Retrieved 5 December 2022 – via ProQuest.
  12. ^ "TfL reminds customers to only travel if essential ahead of strike action on Thursday and Saturday". Transport for London. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  13. ^ Thackray, Lucy (20 August 2022). "Train strikes: Why are this week's rail walkouts happening?". The Independent (Online). Retrieved 5 December 2022 – via ProQuest.
  14. ^ a b Wolmar, Christian (20 June 2022). "The Tube, the unions and strike-ageddon". Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 December 2022 – via ProQuest.
  15. ^ a b "Tube staff out in force across the network - rmt". www.rmt.org.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  16. ^ "History of bus and tube strikes". Transport for London. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  17. ^ a b c "BBC News - London Underground strike causes severe disruption". Bbc.co.uk. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Safety row erupts as millions prepare for Tube strike travel chaos » Local Government". 24dash.com. 6 September 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  19. ^ "London Underground Tube Diary - Going Underground's Blog". London-underground.blogspot.co.uk. 6 September 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  20. ^ a b c d "London Underground Recent Strike Date Data - a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London". WhatDoTheyKnow. 16 December 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  21. ^ Mash Media Group Ltd. "Boris Bikes part of plans to mitigate effects of London tube strike". Exhibition News. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  22. ^ a b "London Underground Tube Diary - Going Underground's Blog". London-underground.blogspot.co.uk. 3 October 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  23. ^ "London Underground Tube Diary - Going Underground's Blog". London-underground.blogspot.co.uk. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  24. ^ a b "Tube strikes cancelled as London Underground reinstates unfairly sacked driver | Global Rail News". Rail.co. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  25. ^ "Tube strikes on as talks break down"[dead link‍]
  26. ^ "BBC News - Tube strike driver Arwyn Thomas unfairly dismissed". Bbc.co.uk. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  27. ^ Telegraph, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/10617182/London-Underground-strikes-line-by-line-travel-information.html
  28. ^ BBC News, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-27215922
  29. ^ Tom Edwards (30 April 2014). "BBC News - Tube strike: Disruption continues as strike ends". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  30. ^ a b "Every Job Matters – Defending Jobs On London Underground". rmt. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  31. ^ "Tube strike action next week goes ahead". rmt. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  32. ^ "RMT confirms action in tube station staffing dispute - rmt". www.rmt.org.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  33. ^ "RMT confirms strike dates in Tube station staffing dispute - rmt". www.rmt.org.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  34. ^ "Strike called for Christmas Eve is suspended - rmt". www.rmt.org.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
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