LONDON (Sputnik) – The unions ASLEF, representing train drivers, RMT, representing London Underground workers, and Unite are set to ground railway transportation at 18:30 local time (17:30 GMT) and extend into Thursday evening.
The action comes after unions rejected an earlier offer from the London Underground authority that did not include appropriate guarantees on the number of rest days for night tube drivers.
The dispute between the unions and the London Underground centers around workers' pay and conditions associated with the new night tube services.
The unions have so far rejected a 2-percent average pay raise for all tube employees, as well as an over-$3,000 one-off bonus for drivers working on the affected lines.
They claim that the employers’ offer does not fairly compensate for working night shifts that negatively affect workers' health.
The night service is due to be inaugurated on September 12. The trade union stressed it would be more sensible to postpone the launch until a deal is struck with management and blamed the upcoming disruption on Mayor Boris Johnson.
Previously, some 20,000 public transportation workers staged a walkout in early July, the first time that the tube stopped working for 24 hours in 13 years.
Millions of commuters faced massive disruptions at the time, despite a reinforced bus, ferry and the Transport of London (TfL) Docklands Light Railway service.
