25.08.15
Tube strikes postponed to early September
Trade union RMT has suspended this week’s strike action over Night Tube disputes but has called for further walkouts on 8 and 10 September.
The strike dates on London Underground, originally planned for 25 and 27 August, were cancelled yesterday (24 August) as talks over pay and jobs made “significant progress” at ACAS.
Yet the union has clarified that it remains in dispute with LU and will take further industrial action if there “are moves to run test trains or if there is any attempt to impose Night Tube operations”.
RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “We still have not reached a final agreement and as a result we are putting on additional strike action on next month. In the meantime, the talks process will continue.
“Our dispute is not with the working class of London and RMT is not opposed to Night Tube providing it is introduced properly with safe and robust staffing arrangements which recognise the substantial extra pressures that this expansion will inevitably create.”
The launch date for Night Tube, originally set for 12 September, has been delayed with no indication of a new inaugural date for the 24-hour weekend service.
This was announced simultaneously with the Aslef union’s decision to abstain from the strike action.
On 12 August, sources at Aslef said further talks would be held between the union and LU to resolve the longstanding row. The union added that it believes a deal can be reached with the key issue being LU providing an upper limit on the number of weekend and night shifts drivers are asked to work.
However other unions, including Unite and TSSA, are expected to join RMT in the September walkouts as they were set to strike during the original dates this week.
(Top image c. TfL)