As they had threatened to do, the RMT union has expanded its ongoing Night Tube strikes to include the Jubilee line.
The Night Tube, which currently runs on the Central and Victoria lines will be joined by the Jubilee line from the evening of Saturday 21 May 2022.
However, the RMT union has been in dispute over the Night Tube staffing terms, and its drivers have not been working on the existing Night Tube services. Despite that ongoing strike action, TfL says that it has been able to run a normal service on the Victoria line each weekend and only minor disruptions on the Central line.
Now that the Jubilee line is set to rejoin the Night Tube service, the RMT is expanding its strike to the Jubilee as well, and instructing its drivers not to sign on for work duties after 8:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. That’ll likely mean some reduction in the early evening services as well as on the Night Tube service.
Unless settled, the strikes are due to continue until 19th June, by which the union is required to hold a fresh ballot as by then they will have been on strike for six months, and legally that’s the limit on how long a strike can last without a fresh ballot. The strike ballot papers have been sent to the drivers, and a decision about extending the strike is expected around the 8th-9th June.
RMT strike action notwithstanding, the full introduction of Night Tube services has not been possible so far as training still needs to take place to address resourcing issues on the Northern and Piccadilly lines. The return of these lines also has to be planned around operational and engineering closures, particularly related to the Bank tube station upgrade.
Can’t TFL take on contract staff for the night tube? I’m sure a number of Ukrainian drivers would love to help out?
It seems mad in this 21st Century that some Luddites can try and impose their 19C work ethics an deny our city the prosperity it deserves in the 24 hour digital economy
I’ve corrected the name you submitted to the same as the ones you’ve used on your other comments on this website, please don’t use a well-known name belonging to someone else. Thanks
Tfl employed contracted staff specifically for the night tube, post pandemic they gave them full time roles and made the post dissappear MR G
Then imposed it on all existing staff, who are not contracted to do it, that is why we strike.
That would end the dispute immediately, but of course you knew that Mr G.
The rosters are gradually being created for the rest of the NT lines which is finally allowing staff to see the impact on their work/life balance.
“… would love to help out?”
No matter where someone comes from it takes up to 6 months to fully train a tube driver so they can operate a train on their own.
It’s not a job you can just pop in and offer to help out with.
I don’t understand why they don’t ask passengers to pay a premium for night tube, and use the money to fund additional pay to make the night time work more attractive.
The pay is not the issue being disputed by the RMT in this case.
Automate and sack.
I’m afraid the RMT has already alienated most of the travelling public. So, when the time comes when they’d really need our support for something that is actually important and unfair, everyone will already be calling for automation and throwing drivers out. Company needs change, jobs change, the world changes. Who said we can all work on the same contract we signed 25 years ago forever?