Tube drivers in Aslef union vote for four-day week

The proposal delivers 34 hours a week rosters

Some Tube drivers in London have voted in favour of working a four-day week and a slight reduction in their weekly hours.

Their union, Aslef, which represents about 2,000 Tube drivers, said that as part of the 2024 pay talks, London Underground agreed to bring forward a proposal for a four-day week with a paid meal break for drivers.

Aslef's proposal is for 34 hours a week so drivers have an extra day off every week and work four and a half hours less every week.

A Transport for London spokesperson said: "We have set out to our trade unions how a four-day working week might work. We will continue to engage with them about it and other points that would make London Underground better."

Aslef's full-time organiser on London Underground, Finn Brennan, said: "We will now be writing to the company to inform them of the result and to arrange a meeting to start detailed discussions on implementation."

"Despite a campaign of disinformation and distortion by those who want to prevent drivers having improved working conditions and a better work-life balance, our members have voted in favour of the proposal by 70% on an 80% turnout in an independently audited referendum."

Earlier this month, Tube drivers within the RMT union rejected the offer put forward by TfL for a four-day working week, raising the threat of industrial action.

A TfL spokesperson added: "The changes would not require any changes to the number of contractual hours worked by drivers or any increase in drivers' annual leave, and would improve reliability, improve our ability to flexibly deploy our drivers and enable us to offer a modern and efficient service while creating no additional cost."