London's Underground entered its first full-stage strike since 2023 on Sunday, with limited services running on some routes before Transport for London (TfL) announced the entire Tube network would close from 6 p.m. that evening until about 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 12.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) is pressing for both a cash pay increase and a cut in working hours from 35 to 32 hours per week. TfL has offered a 3.4% pay rise and said the proposed reduction in hours would be "unaffordable and impractical." The dispute has prompted warnings that buses, the London Overground, trams and roads will be far busier than usual as commuters seek alternatives.
TfL's director of customer operations for the Tube, Nick Dent, appealed for talks to avert further disruption, saying the authority had met the RMT four times in the previous two weeks and remained willing to negotiate. "It is not too late to call off the strikes and put our offer to the RMT members," he said.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said members were not seeking "a King's ransom," and highlighted concerns about fatigue, extreme shift rotations and staff travel arrangements. "Our members are doing a fantastic job to keep our capital moving and work strenuous shift patterns to make sure Londoners get to their destinations around the clock," he said, adding that the union would continue to engage with management to seek a revised offer.
The shutdown will be the first time the entire London Underground has closed since March 2023, when a network-wide strike was led by then-RMT leader Mick Lynch. Commuters' hopes that paid intervention could head off the current walkout — including the use of Greater London Authority funds to suspend strikes in a previous dispute — were not realised this week.
TfL's online "Strike Action Impacts" page and signage at stations including High Street Kensington and Notting Hill Gate showed a number of routes suspended or partially suspended on Sunday, with some notices advising passengers that services would be affected through Friday morning. Docklands Light Railway services will also stop entirely on Tuesday and Thursday amid a separate dispute, TfL said.
Transport officials warned that some services on alternative lines could be so crowded that operators might not be able to call at certain stations shared with the Underground. TfL advised passengers to expect severely disrupted journeys, to allow extra time and to consider working from home where possible.
The stoppage follows a pattern of industrial action that has disrupted London's transport network in recent years, with unions citing pay stagnation and deteriorating working conditions as key issues. TfL has argued that it must balance workforce demands with financial constraints and service practicality.
Both sides said they remained open to further discussions. The strike action is expected to affect millions of journeys over the week, with transport planners and businesses braced for heightened congestion and delays across the capital.