THE JOINT trade unions involved in the long-running London Underground
dispute over staffing and safety when plans for 24-hour operation are
implemented, called off last week's strikes,
but added new strike dates for September.
RMT announced that the negotiating teams at Acas (Advisory,
Conciliation and Arbitration Service) have made significant progress.
The unions has made it clear to London Underground that they remain in
dispute and further strike action will be taken on the 8th and 10th
September unless London Underground management meets their concerns over
staffing and safety.
RMT has also made it clear that they 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: “Our negotiators have been able
to make enough significant progress in talks at Acas over pay, jobs and
Night Tube to allow us to suspend this week’s strike dates. We have
still 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.
“I want to pay tribute to the union members who have remained united
and rock solid throughout this dispute. It is their determination which
forced LU to begin talking seriously and which has enabled us to make
the progress that we have so far.
“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 dispute has already involved two all-out strikes that have seen
transport in London grid-locked. TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said: “I am
extremely pleased to say that our negotiating team has made sufficient
progress to suspend this week’s planned strike action on the Tube.
“However, we are not out of the woods yet. A number of issues need to
be resolved before our dispute is finally settled. We will therefore
announce future strike dates in due course although we remain hopeful
that further talks will soon result in a negotiated settlement”.
The giant general union Unite, which has more than 400 members working
on London Underground, said it had suspended the strike action due to
start on 25th August and 27th August as a gesture of goodwill to allow
for further talks. Unite regional officer Hugh Roberts said: “There are
still some remaining sticking points, but we feel sufficient progress
has been made to suspend industrial action as an act of goodwill.
“We will continue to approach talks with London Underground in a
positive manner. We trust that London Underground management seize this
opportunity to reach a deal that fully addresses our members’ concerns
and secures a successful future for night running on the Tube.”
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