Sadiq Khan has urged TfL and the RMT union to “sort it out” during crisis talks this week as Londoners face another round of disruptive strikes across the Tube network.
The RMT has announced a further two rounds of 24-hour walkouts, beginning at midday on Tuesday, May 19 and again on Thursday, May 21, with the effects spilling across four working days.
It follows industrial action in April over the introduction of a four-day working week, which the union says could increase fatigue and compromise safety.
Crisis talks between the RMT and TfL are set to take place early this week.
The Mayor of London told the Standard: “My message to the RMT and TfL is to sort it out.
“Get round the table, resolve these thing amicably. The only way you’re going to resolve this is by talking, not by going on strike.
“When trade unions go on strike no one benefits. The workers lose out on a days salary. TfL loses out on revenues from customers. Customers are inconvenienced whether they are going to work or going to college or university.
“I am hopeful that the trade union and TfL will resolve this.”
Under TfL proposals, the working week for most drivers would be cut from 36 to 35 hours over four days, but contractual hours would not change due to the introduction of paid meal breaks.
The RMT is demanding a 32-hour, four-day week instead. Aslef, which represents the majority of London Underground drivers has accepted the plan and is not planning strike action.
TfL previously has described the strikes as “completely unnecessary” because the four-day week is currently only being trialled on a voluntary basis on the Bakerloo line.
TfL Commissioner Andy Lord told the Standard: “We're meeting with the trade unions again this week.
“I hope the RMT will see that the strikes that they call next week don't need to go ahead, and I would encourage them to come with an open mind.
“We stressed that these proposals are voluntary. The industrial action is unnecessary.
“I'll apologise in advance if they do go ahead for any disruption, but hopefully people will see that in the last dispute, we actually ran a reasonable amount of services.
“I would encourage everybody to check before their travel, but I really hope the RMT will see in the discussions we have this week that there is no need for the industrial action to go ahead.”
