When London Underground strikes are planned in July 2023 and why RMT members are striking

Strikes have disrupted a range of industries in the UK over the past year, with soaring inflation and the ongoing cost of living crisis exacerbating industrial disputes.

The walkouts are continuing into July 2023, with major industrial action planned by rail workers, school teachers and junior doctors.

It has now been announced that London Underground workers represented by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will also be taking industrial action this month – here’s everything you need to know.

When are there Tube strikes in July 2023?

The RMT confirmed that its members will be staging strikes between Sunday 23 July and Friday 28 July, with the action pausing on Monday 24 July – so the walkout dates are as follows:

• Sunday 23 July
• Tuesday 25 July
• Wednesday 26 July
• Thursday 27 July
• Friday 28 July

The union said that it would be a rolling series of strikes, with different grades and sections of the Tube taking action on different days.

It added that hundreds of London Underground jobs are set to be axed, affecting Tube stations and maintenance.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said on Thursday: “This week of action will shut down the London Underground and show just how important the work of our members is.

“Plans by Transport for London (TfL) to cut 600 jobs and attack our members’ pensions are simply unacceptable.

“We are aware that Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has had the TfL budget cut.

“However, he needs to align himself with our union and his London Underground staff in pushing back against the Tory Government, exposing their damaging agenda to a key part of London transport infrastructure.”

Glynn Barton, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We are disappointed that the RMT has announced strike action on this range of issues that we have been attempting to discuss with them openly and co-operatively.

“We are urging the union to reconsider and engage with us to discuss the issues and seek a resolution.

“There are no current proposals to change pension arrangements and, although we are discussing with union colleagues a range of proposals to improve how London Underground operates, no employee will lose their job or be asked to work additional hours.

“We are trying to create a fairer, more efficient London Underground that works for our staff and for London.

“All stations would remain well staffed at all times and we believe that our proposals would give an even better and more reliable service to our customers both in terms of our stations and our train services.”

When are the rail strikes?

The RMT is also staging a fresh round of train walkouts this month, involving 20,000 of its members across 14 rail companies.

They will strike on the following dates:

• Thursday 20 July
• Saturday 22 July
• Sunday 29 July

The action is likely to be on a similar scale to previous RMT strikes, which have shut down the majority of the country’s rail services.

The RMT union’s dispute affects workers from the following operators:

• Chiltern Railways
• Cross Country Trains
• Greater Anglia
• LNER
• East Midlands Railway
• c2c
• Great Western Railway
• Northern Trains
• South Eastern
• South Western Railway
• Transpennine Express
• Avanti West Coast
• West Midlands Trains
• GTR (including Gatwick Express)

Some operators will be unable to run any trains, while others will offer a significantly reduced service.

National Rail will update customers with advice closer to the time.

Additional reporting from Press Association