Metro union RMT has confirmed that strike action will continue this weekend, causing major disruption in five metro lines. The strike against the reopening of the Night Tube aims to shut down the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines for 24 hours from 4.30 a.m. on Friday November 26 and then again on December 18.

In addition to this weekend’s 24-hour strike across five lines, train staff on the Central and Victoria lines will also aim to shut down the newly revived night subway services during the first three weekends in December.

Transport for London (TfL) said there would be a “serious disruption” to services.

RMT figures are angry at “imposing” new demands on staff ahead of the scheduled reopening of two of the Night Tube lines this week.

Secretary General Mick Lynch said: “We have done everything possible to [dispute resolution service] ACAS and direct talks to resolve this dispute.

He added: “But it is clear that the bosses of LU are motivated only by the bottom line and have no interest in the welfare of their staff or service to passengers.”

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The Union boss said: “No one has worked harder to ensure a safe environment for women in the London Underground than the RMT.”

Mr Lynch added: “While the Tube bosses cut staff and left the stations unmanned, with all the obvious risks, we campaigned relentlessly for the front line, the physical presence of staff visible at the stations. and the docks. “

The union says 200 dedicated Night Tube driver positions were cut this year.

But Transport for London insists that Night Tube duties were simply distributed among all drivers without loss of employment.

At the root of the conflict are changes in the working habits of drivers. Amid a greater shortage of subway drivers, Night Tube drivers were given the opportunity to join the full-time driver pool on a permanent basis, with Night Tube duties being divided among all drivers.

Mr Lynch said the changes meant the Night Tube was suffering from a “staff nightmare” and the union was open to more talks.

But TfL says no metro driver has lost or will lose their job as a result of these changes or have been forced to switch to full-time work.

Drivers on Night Tube lists will now be required to work approximately four Night Tube weekends per year, as part of TfL plans.

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Last week, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was determined to restart Night Tube services.

The mayor said: ‘The unnecessary strike action threatened by RMT would delay many Londoners with another option to get home safely at night and put the brakes on our city at a time when our culture and hospitality sectors were devastated by the pandemic. “

Mr Khan added: “I call on the RMT to call off these strikes, come back to the table and work with TfL to restore Night Tube’s full service on these lines.”

The previous strike action had been suspended while ACAS negotiations continued, and talks are expected to continue.

The Tube manages up to five million passenger journeys per day.

During rush hour, more than 543 trains run in the capital.