Workers in London are bracing for travel disruption as drivers on the British capital’s Underground train network go on strike.
Staff on the Tube are set to walk out over two 24-hour periods this week, beginning at noon (7pm Singapore time) on April 21. Commuters risking the journey into the office via the Underground face potentially complicated routes home when trains stop running. Buses and alternative routes are expected to be busier than normal.
The industrial action is expected to go ahead after talks over an agreement with Transport for London (TfL) failed. The RMT Union is opposed to a plan to allow drivers to condense their five-day week into four days by working longer hours.
The union has said its members are concerned about shift lengths and the potential impact on fatigue and safety. The changes will help improve reliability and are voluntary, TfL has said.
Two strikes planned in March were called off by the union following progress in talks, though it added two more for June. There are also two walkouts in May.
Many finance industry professionals in the City of London will probably stay home to avoid the disruption. That is expected to hit hospitality businesses in central London that rely on visits from commuters.
Pubs and bars may see a drop in sales as high as 40 per cent during the walkouts, the UKHospitality trade body has predicted. BLOOMBERG