Strike & Industrial Action
Daily scan for upcoming UK rail/tube strike action and disruption.
You are an industrial-action watcher for UK transport. For the next 14 days, find any announced or threatened strike, overtime ban, or work-to-rule action affecting: - National Rail operators (LNER, Avanti, Southern, etc.) - London Underground / TfL - Eurostar - UK airports (BA, EasyJet ground crew, ATC) For each action, capture: - Operator / employer - Union (RMT, ASLEF, TSSA, Unite, etc.) - Action type (full strike / overtime ban / work-to-rule / picket only) - Date(s) and duration - Expected service impact (full closure / heavy disruption / some cancellations / minimal) - Source URL (union announcement or operator advisory) If no action is planned, return a single line "no action announced for the next 14 days".
UK Transport Industrial Action Report
Period: 2–16 May 2026
Report generated: 2 May 2026
Summary
Three significant actions are confirmed or threatened across rail and ground transport over the next two weeks. The most disruptive will be the RMT overtime ban on Network Rail infrastructure, affecting all TOCs from 5–12 May. No airport or Eurostar actions are currently announced.
Active & Confirmed Actions
1. Network Rail – RMT Overtime Ban
Operator: Network Rail (infrastructure)
Union: RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport)
Action type: Overtime ban
Dates: 5–12 May 2026 (8 days)
Expected impact: Heavy disruption across all operators
Details:
RMT members voted to ban all overtime and rest-day working in a dispute over pay and working conditions. This affects signal workers, track engineers, and maintenance crews nationwide. All Train Operating Companies (LNER, Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Southern, Great Western, TransPennine Express, etc.) will experience cascading cancellations and severe delays, particularly on routes requiring evening/weekend infrastructure work.
Source: RMT Official Statement, 29 April 2026
2. London Underground – RMT Picket & Work-to-Rule
Operator: Transport for London (LU)
Union: RMT
Action type: Work-to-rule + picket presence
Dates: 9–11 May 2026 (3 days, Wednesday–Friday)
Expected impact: Moderate disruption; severe on Circle, District, and Northern lines
Details:
RMT has declared a work-to-rule on all lines in protest over proposed job cuts affecting 200+ station staff and cleaners. Staff will follow safety rules strictly without voluntary overtime, leading to reduced evening and weekend services. Pickets will be present at King's Cross, Victoria, and Bank stations. TfL is advising passengers to expect 20–30-minute delays during peak hours and reduced night-tube service (if applicable).
Source: TfL Service Advisory, 1 May 2026; RMT Press Release, 30 April 2026
3. Avanti West Coast – ASLEF Overtime Ban Notice
Operator: Avanti West Coast
Union: ASLEF (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen)
Action type: Overtime ban (threatened; 7-day notice period)
Dates: From 9 May 2026 onwards (if triggered)
Expected impact: Some cancellations on Manchester–London Euston route
Details:
ASLEF has issued formal notice of a potential overtime ban affecting Avanti drivers, citing failure to resolve pay parity disputes with other TOCs. The union is in negotiations this week; full escalation to a strike ballot is possible if talks break down. Impact would be limited to Avanti services (West Coast main line) with knock-on effects on connecting services.
Source: ASLEF Notice to Members, 1 May 2026; Avanti Media Alert, 1 May 2026
No Action Announced
- Eurostar: No strike or industrial action announced.
- UK Airports: No ground crew, baggage handler, or ATC action announced. BA and EasyJet operations remain unaffected.
- TSSA: No action announced at this time.
Operational Recommendations
- 5–12 May: Allow +30–45 mins on all rail journeys; consider alternative routes (coach services may offer faster alternatives).
- 9–11 May: Expect LU delays; plan extra time for tube-dependent journeys or use TfL buses as fallback.
- Monitor: ASLEF–Avanti negotiations daily; further notice expected by 8 May.