RMT industrial action means potential Tube disruption

• From Friday 3 June until Sunday 10 July, the RMT will carry out action short of strike that may impact journeys 
• On Monday 6 June, the RMT will take strike action at Tube stations across the network 
• TfL expects severe disruption across the network on 6 June with a limited number of Tube stations open and reduced hours of operation. Customers are advised to avoid travelling on this day unless necessary 
• Strike action has been called despite there being no proposals to change pensions or agreements and no job losses 

Transport for London (TfL) is issuing travel advice ahead of planned RMT action short of strike at Tube stations from Friday 3 June, and a planned station staff strike on Monday 6 June.  

From Friday 3 June until Sunday 10 July, the RMT has planned action short of strike, meaning station staff might not work overtime or rest days. Journeys may be impacted by this and short notice station closures are possible, although TfL is doing everything it can to keep stations open. Interchange stations will be prioritised. 

TfL expects to run a service during the 3 June to 10 July action, including the Platinum Jubilee weekend, and plans to keep all stations open, but customers should check before they travel and listen for announcements in case of short notice changes. Other modes of transport, including buses, DLR, London Overground and the newly opened Elizabeth line, will be running over the entire Bank Holiday weekend, although services could be busier than usual. 

On Monday 6 June, RMT strike action will be taking place across London Underground stations. While train services will run, TfL expects severe disruption across the network from the start of service on Monday 6 June to 08:00 on Tuesday 7 June, with many stations - especially those in the centre - closed. Those stations that can be opened, may only open for limited periods and the situation is likely to change throughout the day depending on whether TfL has enough staff to safely keep stations open.  

Customers are advised to avoid travelling on the Tube on Monday 6 June unless necessary. If Tube travel on Monday 6 June cannot be avoided, customers are advised to travel after 08:00 and to complete journeys by 18:00. On Tuesday 7 June, some stations may still be closed at the beginning of the day so it is advised to travel after 08:00. Please allow more time for journeys and check before travelling. For the latest information on how services are operating please use TfL's real-time travel tools, including status updates, Journey Planner and TfL Go. 

This action comes as part of a dispute over pensions, jobs and conditions - despite the fact nobody has or will lose their jobs as a result of the proposals TfL has set out and there are no proposals on pension changes.  

This strike action comes at a time when London's businesses and cultural institutions are doing all they can to encourage people into the capital to make the most of the celebratory Jubilee weekend. The strike may also hamper the encouraging progress made to restore ridership, which is vital for TfL's finances and the city's recovery from the pandemic. Ridership on the Tube now regularly hits 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels with ridership exceeding 3 million journeys for the last two Thursdays. Ridership on weekends is also reaching around 85 to 90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels as people return to the city to experience all it has to offer. 

London's high-frequency bus services will continue to run throughout the planned industrial action. The newly opened Elizabeth line will run over the Jubilee weekend, with a special service operating on Sunday 5 June from approximately 08:00 - 22:00. Other TfL services, including buses, DLR, London Overground and Trams are not affected by the industrial action and will be running but will be busier than normal. 

TfL expects London's roads to be congested. Customers in central London are advised to walk, cycle or use a rental e-scooter for all or part of their journeys where possible if the planned action goes ahead.  

Andy Lord, TfL's Chief Operating Officer, said:

'We are doing our utmost to make the Platinum Jubilee weekend one to remember and I can assure our customers we are working hard to minimise the impact of the RMT's frustrating strike action. Our advice to Londoners and visitors is to check before they make their journeys in case of any short-notice closures. 

'On Monday 6 June we advise anyone who needs to use the Tube to consider whether they are able to work from home and only travel if necessary on this day. We are expecting severe disruption which will continue into the morning of Tuesday 7 June too. I apologise to customers for this and understand they will be frustrated by this strike action but urge them not to take it out on those who are trying to help.  

'We haven't proposed any changes to pensions, and nobody has or will lose their jobs because of the proposals we have set out. We know our customers deserve better than this and that is why we're urging the RMT to call off this action and work with us to find a resolution to this dispute, which is threatening London's recovery from the pandemic.'

The RMT is encouraged to work with TfL rather than disrupting the country's Platinum Jubilee celebrations and London's recovery. As part of previous funding agreements, the Government has required TfL to work towards achieving financial sustainability on its operations by April 2023. This means TfL must speed up its pre-pandemic savings programme. As part of this, TfL has been engaging with its trade unions and staff to seek their views on how it can make London Underground more efficient and financially sustainable, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of safety, reliability and customer service. TfL has committed to its staff and trade unions that the safety of staff and customers will always remain paramount and the changes will protect as many jobs as possible for the people who work for TfL today, allowing more flexibility to adapt to changing customer requirements.  

Further information will be available ahead of, and during, the strikes on TfL's website as well as on the free TfL Go app and Journey Planner.

Notes to editors

• TfL is completely committed to its renowned customer service offer, with stations staffed at all times while trains are operating but must bring staffing levels in line with customer need while protecting as many jobs as possible.  
• This will be done by not recruiting into around 250 currently unfilled posts, or those that become vacant as people leave the organisation. London Underground will remain well staffed, with more than 4,500 station staff available across the network to assist customers and keep them safe, supplemented by enforcement teams and police colleagues. This would mean a reduction of around 500 to 600 posts compared to pre-pandemic staffing levels - although the precise number will depend on discussions with our people and Trade Unions 
• TfL aims to achieve this reduction in posts by holding current vacancies and controlling future recruitment. It is committed to protecting as many jobs as possible for people who work here today, seeking to make any changes through not backfilling vacancies wherever possible 
• A review of TfL pensions was a condition placed on TfL by Government as required as a result of its Funding Agreement. TfL has now received the final report from the independent review into its pension scheme, which was facilitated by Sir Brendan Barber with the support of pensions expert Joanne Segars OBE 
• The report rightly highlights the complexity of the issues related to pension reform and TfL will now take time to consider next steps. There are currently no proposals for changes to TfL's pension arrangements. Any reform proposed in the future would be subject to consultation with all stakeholders, including staff and trade unions 
• Unrelated strike action planned at Green Park and Euston on Friday 3 June has been called off by the RMT