Tube drivers call off planned London Underground strikes after improved pay offer

By Henry Moore

A strike that threatened to grind the London Underground to a halt has been called off.

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Members of Aslef were due to walk out on Thursday and again next Tuesday - which would have crippled Tube services.

It comes just days after train drivers called off a strike which was due to take place on Friday.

Finn Brennan, Aslef's full-time organiser on London Underground, said: "Following fresh talks, and an improved offer, Aslef has agreed to suspend our planned industrial action on London Underground.

"Details of the offer will be discussed with our reps at a meeting on Thursday. We are pleased that this progress has been made and that strike action has been averted at this time."

Claire Mann, Transport for London's chief operating officer, said: "We are pleased that Aslef has suspended its planned industrial action on the Tube and that Londoners will not be disrupted this week or next.

"We believe that we have made an offer to our trade unions that is fair, affordable, good for our colleagues and good for London - and we urge our trade unions to continue working with us."

RMT had previously said it was prompted to take strike action after rejecting a pay deal, which it said excluded staff from collective bargaining and was “wholly inadequate”.

After “repeatedly urging” London Underground to offer a new deal, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the union was left with no choice but to take strike action but remained open to negotiations.

However, in a statement on Friday afternoon, RMT announced: “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.”