When Do the Tube Strikes End? Light at the End of the Tunnel Seen as Union Boss Calls for Meeting With Mayor

The London Tube strikes in September 2025 have paralysed the Underground, disrupting millions of commuters amid RMT union demands for better pay and a 32-hour week. As services halt until 11 September 2025, union leader Eddie Dempsey urges a summit with Mayor Sadiq Khan to resolve the dispute over fatigue management and broken agreements.

With TfL offering 3.4% pay rise but rejecting shorter hours, hopes rise for talks to end the chaos affecting all lines and the DLR.

RMT Tube Strikes Disrupt London from 5 September

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) launched rolling strikes on the London Underground starting 5 September 2025, with depot managers at Ruislip walking out from 6:00pm on Friday 5 September until 5:59pm on 6 September. By Sunday, 7 September 2025, track access controllers, control centre staff, power workers and emergency response units struck from midnight to 11:59pm, causing severe delays on Bakerloo, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines.

Monday 8 September 2025 saw fleet, engineering, stations and trains staff striking all day, leading to little or no service across the network. TfL reported overcrowding on buses, Elizabeth line and Overground, with Elizabeth line trains skipping stations like Bond Street and Tottenham Court Road before 07:30am and after 10:30pm on 8 September.

The action stems from failed negotiations over pay, extreme shift patterns and a push for a four-day, 32-hour week without pay cuts. RMT claims TfL ignored fatigue risks and previous deals, while TfL insists the 3.4% offer aligns with inflation but shorter hours are unaffordable.

Full Shutdowns Until Thursday, 11 September 2025

Tuesday 9 September 2025 brought signallers, service control and emergency response unit strikes, closing the entire Tube and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) all day. On Wednesday, 10 September 2025, fleet, engineering, stations and trains staff struck again, with limited Northern, Central and District line services resuming partially but widespread closures persisting.

Thursday 11 September 2025 marks the final full day, with signallers and service control walking out, halting all Underground and DLR services from 12:01am to 11:59pm. Services are expected to resume from 8:00am on Friday, 12 September 2025, though with initial disruptions and good service by late morning.

The strikes have forced events like Post Malone's concerts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to reschedule from 7 and 8 September to 6 and 12 September 2025 due to safety concerns over crowd evacuation without Tube access. Commuters face £230 million ($310.69 million) in economic losses from business closures and lost productivity, per Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates.

Union Boss Pushes For Mayor Summit

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey demanded a summit with Mayor Sadiq Khan on 10 September 2025 at TUC Congress, stating 'Instead of going on social media... invite us to the meeting, let's have a discussion'. He warned of more strikes without resolution but noted members 'take no pleasure in causing disruption'. Khan's office confirmed TfL is 'ready to restart talks' with RMT, echoing Downing Street's call for negotiations.

TfL chief operating officer Claire Mann called the action 'bitterly disappointed', urging RMT to ballot members on the pay offer. An emergency motion at TUC Congress unanimously backed the summit to end outsourcing and defend ticket offices. As of 11 September 2025, no further talks are scheduled, but Dempsey's plea signals potential light at the tunnel's end if Khan intervenes.

X post from @SimonCalder, a verified travel expert account, on 11 September 2025: 'London Underground: final full day of strikes by members of the RMT in pursuit of a four-day, 32-hour week. The union says "workers are being rostered into exhaustion." No Tube trains running. Dockland Light Railway is closed all day by a separate dispute.' This post, with over 10,000 views, underscores the ongoing impact.

The strikes end 11 September 2025, but resolution hinges on the proposed meeting, averting future action amid 2025's transport woes.