Transport for London (TfL) has announced today [21 July] that strikes planned across London Underground services between Sunday 23 and Saturday 29 July have been suspended.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) reported that ‘significant concessions were made’ after a ‘longstanding pensions jobs and working conditions dispute’.
According to RMT, TfL’s original plans for jobs cuts and pension changes will no longer go ahead.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, said: “There has been significant progress made by our negotiating team in ACAS talks with TfL. However this is not the end of the dispute nor is it a victory for the union as yet.
”Our members were prepared to engage in significant disruptive industrial action and I commend their resolve. RMT’s strike mandate remains live until October and we are prepared to use it if necessary.
”We will continue to negotiate in good faith as we always have done with TfL and it was only the steadfast commitment of our members in being prepared to take sustained strike action that has forced the employer to make significant concessions.
“Our campaign to defend jobs, conditions and our members pensions will continue in the coming weeks and months.”
National rail strikes will still go ahead due to other planned industrial action from RMT and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF).
RMT members are set to strike on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July as part of an ongoing dispute over pay and working conditions with the UK government and rail bosses.
An ASLEF overtime ban also means services run by 15 companies across England will also continue to be affected until Saturday 22 July, and again from Monday 31 July to Saturday 5 August.
Many rail operators rely on overtime, or rest day working, to run a full schedule.