November tube strikes: RMT call off action after last-ditch talks

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Strikes planned by London Underground staff in the RMT have been suspended, the union has announced.

Workers had been due to walk out on Friday evening and across several dates over the coming weeks in a dispute over pay, sparking fears of severe disruption on the network.

However, on Friday afternoon a spokesperson from the union announced they would be suspending the strikes.

Planned strikes from the train drivers’ union Aslef still appear to be scheduled to go ahead.

An RMT spokesperson said: “Following intense negotiations with London Underground management and a significantly improved offer, we have suspended the strikes scheduled to start this evening.

“London Underground have sensibly abandoned their proposed changes to pay structures which now means all our members will receive the same value in any pay award.

“Further discussions will take place next week regarding the pay offer but progress has been made which would not have been possible without the fortitude and industrial strength of our 10,000 members on London Underground.”

Before suspending the strikes on Friday, RMT previously said they were prompted to take strike action after rejecting a pay deal, which they deemed as “wholly inadequate” that left a large number of staff excluded from collective bargaining, which is negotiations between employees and employers.

After “repeatedly urging” London Underground to offer a new deal to cover collective bargaining, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said they had been left with no choice but to take strike action.

Claire Mann, Transport for London’s chief operating officer, said to the BBC: “We are pleased that the RMT has suspended its planned industrial action on the London Underground network to allow further talks. We believe that our offer is fair, affordable, good for our colleagues and good news for London.

“We will continue to work closely with all our trade unions, and urge Aslef to also call off its planned action next week. If it goes ahead, customers should check before they travel as during their strikes on 7 and 12 November, there will be little-to-no service.”

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