Planned Tube strikes called off following ‘significant progress’ in talks

LONDON: Planned strikes on the London Underground have been called off following “significant progress” in talks over jobs and conditions. Around 3,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) were due to walk out on Wednesday and Friday.

The RMT said that following talks at the conciliation service Acas it has managed to save jobs, prevent detrimental changes to rosters and secure protection of earnings around grading changes.

The union said: “The significant progress means that key elements have been settled although there 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.”

Nick Dent, London Underground’s director of customer operations, said: “We are pleased that the RMT has withdrawn its planned industrial action this week and that the dispute on our change proposals in stations is now resolved.

“This is good news for London and we will continue to work closely with our trade unions as we evolve London Underground to ensure we can continue to support the capital in the most effective way.”

Acas chief conciliator Marina Glasgow said: “After four days of Acas talks, we are pleased that significant progress has been made through Acas to help resolve this area of dispute.”