Tram strike: London workers to walk away from pay dispute

London Trams passengers, including those traveling to the Wimbledon tennis tournament, are being urged to consider alternative routes due to the strikes.

Maintenance workers who are members of the Unite union will walk from June 30 to July 8 and again from July 11 to 15 in a dispute over pay.

Transport for London (TfL) said it expected a reduced and disrupted service across London’s tram network on some strike days.

Passengers have been advised to end their journey by 18:00 BST on strike days.

A TfL spokesman said: “Where possible, customers should consider walking and cycling for local journeys.

“London Buses and London Overground are expected to operate as normal but may be busier than normal.”

Navid Golshan, chief executive of London Trams, said: “We urge Unite to work with us to find a solution and call off these strikes.

“Customers planning to use London tram services are encouraged to check before they travel, allow extra time for journeys and check the TfL website or TfL Go app for the latest travel information.”

The workers first went on strike in March, saying they were paid up to £10,000 a year less than their colleagues on the London Underground, despite requiring the same qualifications and performing the same roles.

At the time, TfL said it had been “open and honest throughout the process”.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “TfL believes it can hire these workers on the cheap and treat them as second class employees.

“The situation is totally unacceptable and our members are absolutely right to go on strike.

“They have the unwavering support of Unite.”