London tube strike: Underground driver reveals human story behind the strike

After one of the largest strikes to be ever witnessed by London commuters, one Underground driver reveals the human story behind the disagreement.

In an open letter on Facebook, driver Mike Davey clarifies how the common assumption that the strike has been waged due to money issues is actually false.

According to Davey, the strike was triggered by senior management failing to recognize that, "staff are human beings with lives and families as well as a job."

"This dispute is not about money! You can expect the usual barrage of total bollox in the media about "Greedy Overpaid Train Drivers" but this dispute has never been about money, It is about protecting work life balance and making sure that change in contracts are negotiated, not just imposed," said Davey, reported The Independent.

"We cannot continue to have more and more weekend and anti-social hours working. I have never been opposed to Night Tube, but it has to be introduced in a way that is fair; that recognises that staff are human beings with lives and families as well as a job."

The strike began at roughly 6:30pm local time on 8 July and ended at 9:30pm on 9 July.

The strike came into force after the Unions failed to reach an agreement with the Transport for London (Tfl) over the night tube services terms.

The night tube service is set to be launched in September.

"To be clear, Unions did not reject the offer. It has been withdrawn because the four Trade Unions were unable to comply with an utterly unrealistic "take it or leave it" ultimatum," said Davey.

"I personally believe that TfL do not want to run a Night Tube service as it will cost them millions, the train and track are maintained to a minimum standard as it is but the Mayor of London announced it before it was ever discussed so they had to push ahead with it.

"I have a feeling TfL will now say it can't run Night Tube due to the Unions but in reality they actually don't want it."