Key facts
- A week-long Tube strike in London led by the RMT union has caused significant disruption.
- RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey stated that a £72,000 salary is insufficient to purchase a house in London.
- The average Tube driver's starting salary is £71,160, while station staff begin on £35,270.
- The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates the strike will cost London's economy at least £230 million.
- TfL's offer of a 3.4 per cent pay rise has been rejected by the union.
A week-long Tube strike in London, led by the RMT union, has caused significant disruption across the capital. The dispute centers on pay and working hours, with the union rejecting Transport for London's (TfL) offer of a 3.4% pay rise. The RMT's demand for a four-day working week has been deemed unaffordable by TfL.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey stated that a £72,000 salary, earned by some striking Tube workers, is insufficient to purchase a house in London, where the average price is £561,000. TfL reports that the average Tube driver's starting salary is £71,160, while station staff begin on £35,270, increasing to £44,140.
The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates the strike will cost London's economy at least £230 million. Downing Street has urged the RMT and TfL to return to negotiations.