Tube strikes occur primarily due to disputes between the trade unions representing London Underground workers and the management of London Underground (part of Transport for London). The key issues driving these strikes include disagreements over pay, working conditions, fatigue management, shift patterns, job cuts, pensions, and safety concerns. Union members like those in the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) have staged strikes in response to management allegedly refusing to engage seriously with their demands or failing to honor previous agreements. The recent strikes in September 2025, for example, focused on issues including pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns, and reduction in working hours. Transport for London has offered pay increases but resist reducing the contractual working week, which remains a core point of tension.
In summary, tube strikes are a form of industrial action used by unionized workers on the London Underground to press for better pay, safer and fairer working conditions, and improvements in hours and fatigue management. These strikes reflect ongoing labor disputes with management that have been recurring over many years.
