03 October 2023 , 11:41
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Planned strikes by London Underground workers on Wednesday and Friday have been called off, RMT has announced.
The union said the decision has come after significant progress was made by RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport union) negotiators and representatives from Transport for London (TfL) subsidiary London Underground Limited (LUL). The planned strike action would have seen over 3,000 members walk out of stations on October 4 and 6. Disruption was also expected on days following the walkouts.
RMT says following talks at ACAS, it has managed to save key jobs, prevent detrimental changes to rosters and secure protection of earnings around grading changes. It adds, however, there still remains wider negotiations to be had in the job, pensions and working agreements dispute.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "I congratulate all our members who were prepared to take strike action and our negotiations team for securing this victory in our tube dispute. Without the unity and industrial power of our members, there is no way we would have been able to make the progress we have. We still remain in dispute over outstanding issues around pensions and working agreements and will continue to pursue a negotiated settlement."
Tube services were set to be "severely affected" or not run at all on either day, while the Friday night tube was to be axed. The union represents workers from many different sectors of the rail industry - including station staff and guards. The strike action was to run parallel with that of fellow union Aslef (The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen), which represents drivers for various train operators.
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
Aslef members at 16 train operators in England walked out on Saturday and will strike again tomorrow (October 4), coinciding with the annual conference of the Conservative Party in Manchester. Many parts of the country will have no services on strike days, and those that do run will start later and finish earlier than usual. Operators warning of no services include Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Northern, Southeastern and Transpennine Express.
Drivers banned overtime on Friday and are refusing to work rest days again this week (Monday, October 2 to Friday, October 3), causing disruption. Aslef said train companies have always failed to employ enough drivers to provide a proper service.
Mick Whelan, Aslef's general secretary, said the Government was preventing a settlement to the year-long dispute. He said: "Our members have not had a pay rise for four years - since 2019 - and that's not right when prices have soared in that time. Train drivers, perfectly reasonably, want to be able to buy now what they could buy four years ago."
He accused Transport Secretary Mark Harper of "hiding", saying the two had not met since last December despite a series of strikes this year which have caused huge disruption. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "The Government spent £31 billion of taxpayers' money - £1,000 per household - to protect rail workers' jobs during the pandemic. There is a fair and reasonable offer on the table that would take train drivers salaries from £60,000 to £65,000 for a 35-hour, four-day week. Aslef's leaders won't put this offer to their members and instead continue to strike - damaging their own industry in the process."