London Underground drivers to go on strike in March

Latest walkout over working arrangements will take place on day UK budget delivered

London Underground drivers will stage a walkout in a row over working conditions, their union said. Reuters

London Underground drivers are to strike on the day of the UK budget in a dispute over pensions and working arrangements, the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen has announced.

The walkout on March 15 follows a vote in favour of industrial action by 99 per cent of members of Aslef on a turnout out of 77 per cent in a ballot.

The union said the dispute is over a failure to accept that changes to working arrangements and pensions should happen by agreement.

Aslef members who will strike include thousands of drivers and some in management grades.

Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser on the Tube said there were “threats to their working conditions and pensions.”

He said that while London's transport network was struggling with financial challenges, members were not “prepared to pay the price” for the government's failure to fund it.

“We are always prepared to discuss and negotiate on changes, but our members want an unequivocal commitment from Transport for London that management will not continue to force through detrimental changes without agreement”, he said.

“Unless they are prepared to work with us, and accept that changes have to come by agreement, and bring real benefits to staff, rather than just cuts and cost savings, this will be only the first day of action in a protracted dispute.”

About 100,000 civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services union are also planning to strike on budget day in a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and pensions.