RMT Calls Off this Week's Tube Strikes
Union says 'significant progress' made in talks with management
Tube stations will not be closed on Wednesday or Friday
October 3, 2023
The RMT has announced that it will no longer be holding industrial action this week on London Underground following what it describes as "significant progress" in talks over jobs and conditions.
3,000 of its members were due to strike this Wednesday (4 October) and Friday (6 October).
The RMT posted on Twitter that, after the talks at ACAS, it “has managed to save key jobs, prevent detrimental changes to rosters and secure protection of earnings around grading changes.
“The significant progress means that key elements have been settled although there remains wider negotiations to be had in the job, pensions and working agreements dispute."
The union’s general secretary Mick Lynch said, "I congratulate all our members who were prepared to take strike action and our negotiations team for securing this victory in our tube dispute.
"Without the unity and industrial power of our members, there is no way we would have been able to make the progress we have.
"We still remain in dispute over outstanding issues around pensions and working agreements and will continue to pursue a negotiated settlement."
Nick Dent, London Underground's director of customer operations, said, "We are pleased that the RMT has withdrawn its planned industrial action this week and that the dispute on our change proposals in stations is now resolved.
"This is good news for London and we will continue to work closely with our trade unions as we evolve London Underground to ensure we can continue to support the capital in the most effective way."
Sadiq Khan said, "There's no winners when it comes to industrial action which is why I'm so pleased that this industrial action has been called off.
"I'd like to thank the RMT and TfL for their hard work over the past few days. It shows the difference talking can make.”
Train drivers’ union ASLEF still plans to go ahead with its national strike action which will affect local train operating companies such as South Western and Great Western Railways.
Unlike during previous strikes no attempt is being made to maintain a service on the Hounslow Loop which means no trains will be stopping at stations such as Brentford, Chiswick, Kew Bridge, Isleworth and Syon Lane on Wednesday 4 October.
A limited service of two trains per hour will run during the day time from Feltham to Waterloo stopping at Putney and Wandsworth Town.
As well as the strikes the union is running an overtime band from Friday 29 September to Friday 6 October. SWR says that on these days a normal weekday timetable will operate with a small number of cancellations. Other train operating companies across London and the rest of the country are also likely to be affected by strikes on these days.
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