Commuters face travel chaos this week after unions announced a strike on the London Underground.
The capital could grind to a halt, with limited or no service expected on every underground line and the Docklands Light Railway until Friday.
Coldplay were forced to reschedule their final two dates at Wembley Stadium as a result of the industrial action. “Without a Tube service, it’s impossible to get 82,000 people to the concert and home again safely, and therefore no event licence can be granted,” the band said.
The strike comes after nine months of negotiations failed to resolve disputes over pay and working conditions. Transport for London (TfL) has offered a 3.4pc pay rise but said it cannot cut the 35-hour working week, as demanded by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).
However, when discussing pay and conditions, a crucial part of Tube drivers’ remuneration is being ignored: their pensions.
They have a rare type of pension that is so generous they can retire on an income worth almost three quarters of their salary. This comes on top of salaries worth close to two times more than the national average.
TfL workers have defined benefit pensions, which guarantee an income in retirement until death.
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