London Underground staff begin five-day strike, disrupting services and business commutes

London Underground staff have begun a five-day walkout that will sharply curtail Tube services and disrupt commuting and business activity across the capital. The strike, the first to affect the network since March 2023, is being staged by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union with rolling action focused on pay and fatigue management.

Transport for London (TfL) said there would be a limited Tube service until 18:00 BST on Sunday and little or no service between Monday and Thursday. The Elizabeth line and the Overground are expected to operate as normal but to carry substantially higher passenger numbers, and buses and roads are also likely to be much busier. A separate dispute on the Docklands Light Railway will lead to no DLR services on Tuesday and Thursday.

The RMT has cited pay and “fatigue management” as core grievances and has asked for a 32-hour working week. TfL has offered a 3.4% pay rise and said it "welcomes further engagement with our unions", while stressing that a reduction in the contractual 35-hour week "is neither practical nor affordable." The rolling nature of the action means different lines and stations may be affected at different times over the five days.

TfL’s offer and the union’s demand frame a wider dispute about working patterns and costs at a time when the transport operator is managing tight budgets and recovery of passenger numbers following pandemic-era declines. The Elizabeth line and Overground, which are not party to the Tube staff stoppage, are anticipated to absorb much of the displaced demand, creating pressure on those services and on surface transport.

Business groups and employers had warned in advance that extended disruption to Tube services can affect shop footfall, office attendance and industry schedules that rely on predictable commuting patterns. Retailers, restaurants and service-sector employers in central and inner London typically see customer volumes and staff punctuality tied to the availability of public transport.

This strike marks the first full-scale network closure since March 2023, when previous industrial action similarly curtailed services. TfL and the RMT did not announce a public timetable for resumed talks beyond the ongoing engagements; both sides have signalled their positions but remained apart on the core issue of working hours and fatigue measures.

Commuters and businesses are being urged to plan alternative routes and allow extra travel time. Transport operators said contingency measures would be in place where possible, but officials warned that significant disruption to travel across the capital was likely for the duration of the action.