RMT industrial action 5th - 12 September 2025

[xydancer]

When I used the Northern Line from Euston around 1.30pm, headway was 7-8 minutes on both branches. It was quiet down there and very quiet in Euston ticket hall, the latter probably helped by the Avanti on-train announcements that it was closed. A unexpected bonus for me on the way to Heathrow, though.

The Elizabeth Line was about as busy as a normal day.

 

[Russel]

Assuming this strike lasts the full week with no movement, where does the RMT go from here?

 

[Thirteen]

Assuming this strike lasts the full week with no movement, where does the RMT go from here?

More strikes? Maybe during October Half Term or just before Christmas.

 

[Kay_M]

And of course, if it gets to end of week and nothing has changed what happens next.

Basically options are :
1) Repeat same (unsuccessful) action again
2) Try it again but for longer period
3) Try something else (different action)
4) Tone down demands, then retry
5) Give up for now

There are variations of detail, but these are the only options. No idea what option will happen if two parties still have seriously different viewpoints.

Eventually one side will cave in at some point. We just don't know who yet.

 

[Russel]

More strikes? Maybe during October Half Term or just before Christmas.

If a week long strike hasn't helped focus minds, could we see longer strikes?

 

[35B]

If a week long strike hasn't helped focus minds, could we see longer strikes?

If the strikes on the national network in recent years are any guide, I'd expect strikes structured to maximise impact on TfL but putting as little burden as possible on members. This both helps protect union member morale and stretches management resource, while having significant news impact.

 

[chris11256]

If the strikes on the national network in recent years are any guide, I'd expect strikes structured to maximise impact on TfL but putting as little burden as possible on members. This both helps protect union member morale and stretches management resource, while having significant news impact.

Yeah, more week long strikes but different roles every day. Ensuring no service can run all week, but relevant roles only actually strike for a single day.

 

[bramling]

But without the fassion designers and other needless spend, how can TfL be “World Class”?

I’m not sure TFL even pretends to be that any more. It’s a bit of a stretch when they can’t even get the basics right, like delivering the daily timetable of services and having the full number of stations open throughout the traffic day. Basic stuff. Let alone their deteriorating capability when it comes to responding to problems.

All this traces back to the same issue - poor leadership, and successive mayors who have never addressed that fundamental issue. To be fair to Ken, things seemed to run better during his tenure.

The mayoralty as a post HAS to take accountability for this, as ultimately TFL reports to the mayor.

 

[Leight]

For that journey I would walk from Waterloo to Blackfriars southern entrance for a Thameslink service.

Might try this out on the way back - thanks!

 

[Thirteen]

If a week long strike hasn't helped focus minds, could we see longer strikes?

I'm not sure if it's affordable for either side to do a longer strike.

 

[bramling]

Assuming this strike lasts the full week with no movement, where does the RMT go from here?

There is no practical reason why RMT can’t keep doing it.

The way the strikes are arranged means it isn’t always the same people sacrificing a day’s pay, and most of the grades can simply work overtime to make it up (there’s plenty of overtime across TFL because of the poor staffing situation leading to numerous uncovered shifts). It’s essentially only drivers who can’t work overtime.

So keep going until TFL, the mayor or the government cave in, or until the drivers get fed up losing pay, or the rest get fed up with the upheaval. With morale at TFL being utterly appalling, I suspect most of the staff are happy having extra time away from the place TBH.m

Essentially the staff hold the cards, BUT with a caveat, namely there’s a TFL management who don’t really care about providing a service. If the management was serious about actually running a transport service, this would have been sorted ages ago.

 

[Mag_seven]

the mayor

Speaking of which, where the hell is he?

 

[Mikw]

It's the far right "Let's smash stuff up" protests this Saturday, TFL would be doing the city a favour if it called a strike on that day

 

[Thirteen]

Speaking of which, where the hell is he?

The Mayor has kept out of this dispute for some reason, one has to wonder if his hands are tied somewhat due to the multi year deal he got from the Government.

 

[Florence Rox]

And of course, if it gets to end of week and nothing has changed what happens next.

Basically options are :
1) Repeat same (unsuccessful) action again
2) Try it again but for longer period
3) Try something else (different action)
4) Tone down demands, then retry
5) Give up for now

There are variations of detail, but these are the only options. No idea what option will happen if two parties still have seriously different viewpoints.

I think if there are more strikes, the support would dwindle significantly and the RMT would eventually have to concede. Any concessions will have to be by the RMT as I don’t believe TFL can make any concessions other than upping the pay increase to around 3.8%.

 

[35B]

The Mayor has kept out of this dispute for some reason, one has to wonder if his hands are tied somewhat due to the multi year deal he got from the Government.

That - and that one of the biggest cards the unions have is if they can get the politicians to overrule the management.

 

[Russel]

Speaking of which, where the hell is he?

The Mayor has kept out of this dispute for some reason, one has to wonder if his hands are tied somewhat due to the multi year deal he got from the Government.

He does seem to be keeping rather a low profile...

 

[Backroom_boy]

Might try this out on the way back - thanks!

Or change at Wimbledon onto Thameslink?

 

[43066]

Or change at Wimbledon onto Thameslink?

An option - but very busy today from a colleague who did similar.

 

[3rd rail land]

TFL have given up running any Northern Line service and it is fully suspended. They are only running a very limited service on the Piccadilly Line now which has to be a PR stunt rather than for any practical purpose.
The Northern Line service was actually meaningful and I assume when it came to shift change time at the control centre not enough staff came in to make any service viable.

 

[MichaelJWP15]

ISTR wasn't it back in the day an intractable dispute was referred to ACAS for binding arbitration? Or is that not a thing these days?

 

[Silent]

Northern line running today?

Yep and I got it around 3pm. Wasn't overcrowded but I guess it wasn't rush hour.

 

[weeklycommuter]

Speaking of which, where the hell is he?

The Mayor has kept out of this dispute for some reason, one has to wonder if his hands are tied somewhat due to the multi year deal he got from the Government.

The Mayor of London confirmed he will not intervene this time.

Torrid Tuesday: As DLR staff join Tube strikes, Khan says he's not getting involved

Mayor says he only intervened in previous dispute because of ‘exceptional circumstances’ and calls on RMT to get back round negotiating table

www.standard.co.uk

Sadiq Khan refuses to intervene in Tube strike as commuters face 'torrid Tuesday' with DLR staff joining walkout

Mayor says he only intervened in previous dispute because of ‘exceptional circumstances’ and calls on RMT to get back round negotiating table

 

[Nova1]

So I guess the mayor doesn't consider week long disruption to be "exceptional"
Great

 

[boiledbeans2]

Elizabeth line core seems open tonight (right now).

 

[weeklycommuter]

So I guess the mayor doesn't consider week long disruption to be "exceptional"
Great

I assume the 'exceptional circumstances' that led the Mayor of London to intervene in January 2024 was that it was three months before he had to seek re-election. The next election for Mayor of London is in May 2028 which is nearly three years away so even if he plans to stand again there is no pressing need for the Mayor of London to intervene to resolve the dispute at the present time.

 

[43066]

I assume the 'exceptional circumstances' that led the Mayor of London to intervene in January 2024 was that it was three months before he had to seek re-election. The next election for Mayor of London is in May 2028 which is nearly three years away so even if he plans to stand again there is no pressing need for the Mayor of London to intervene to resolve the dispute at the present time.

The article you quoted above makes clear what the exceptional circumstances were. The Mayor has also called for both the RMT and for TfL to get back around the table, and he exerts influence over the TfL side. so it’s not unreasonable to imagine that pressure is being brought to bear behind the scenes for TfL to negotiate with a view to ending the dispute.

 

[Sifyu]

The government doesn't control TfL.

I think it's obvious now that the strike will last all week. Passengers are adapting. The Underground, while essential, isn't quite as essential as it used to be.

Perhaps but one can't deny the cost the underground has towards the city. As folks have mentioned, around 230 - 250 million quid has been quoted in cost. So while people can adapt and WFH, the financial impact will remain extremely high and in turn leading to unsustainability to this city of ours in the long run.

I do wonder alongside the other poster here that at the end of the week what will be next? Will RMT continue action? Will there be progress on the demands? Will there be a further breakdown in relations? Will there be longer strike actions? It's all up in the air and this city can't handle full shutdowns every month for weeks on end.

 

[Snow1964]

Not sure if it is relevant to the dispute, but including it for info, it seems the TfL Board People and Remuneration Committee meeting has had its date changed from Thursday 18th to Monday 15th September

Agenda for People and Remuneration Committee on Monday 15 September 2025, 11:00 - Modern Council

board.tfl.gov.uk

This document in the agenda pack, actually mentions the 2025/26 pay offer and says what the final offer base percentage rise will be on page 9

https://board.tfl.gov.uk/documents/s24735/prc-20250915-item08b-colleague-report-appx.pdf

We have now made our final offer - a 3.4% increase in base pay with no conditions.

Seems to me if they are happy to publish that and ratify it at a Board Committee meeting next Monday, then the TfL Board do not intend to take it further, even if there are strikes.

 

[Goldfish62]

I think to an extent that TfL have called the RMT's bluff. The RMT, with considerable justification, probably expected TfL to cave in rather than let such an extensive strike to go ahead. But TfL didn't cave in, and nor did the mayor. The RMT may have misread the mood music.

Remember that the RMT has lost disputes on the Underground, the most notable one of recent times being against ticket office closures, when they had massive public support and the Underground was even more essential for London than it is now.

Unfortunately (or not, depending on your viewpoint) this current and any further action is going to be ammunition to those in government who want to see the provisions of forthcoming the Employment Rights Act watered down, particularly the roll-back of the Tories' anti-strike legislation.