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Members of the RMT union have called off a week of strikes across the London Underground network after a late breakthrough in discussions with Transport for London, the capital’s public transit body.
The UK’s largest transport union said the industrial action over pay had been suspended after more money was put on the table by TfL.
The rolling strike began on Friday January 5 with action by maintenance staff, with passengers due to feel the full effect from Sunday evening to Friday January 12. However, TfL said the dispute had been called off with such little notice that passengers were still likely to face some disruption on Monday.
The capital’s transport authority had earlier argued that its offer of a 5 per cent rise for staff was all it could afford. But on Sunday TfL said that Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, had made more money available.
“We will now meet with representatives of all the unions to agree on the best way for this funding to be used to resolve the current dispute. We will also seek to meet as soon as possible with the unions representing TfL staff,” it said.
Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said the union had engaged in “positive discussions” with TfL.
“The negotiations on a pay deal for our London Underground members can now take place on an improved basis and mandate with significant further funding for a settlement being made available,” Lynch said.
TfL has faced significant financial pressure since the Covid pandemic. Last month, it warned it was facing a funding shortfall after securing just half of the £500mn grant it had asked for from central government to keep the capital’s transport network running this year.
Passengers on the national rail network are also confronting the prospect of further strikes this year, as train drivers union Aslef remains in dispute with rail operators in its own long-running row over pay.
The union last year rejected an offer of an 8 per cent pay rise over two years, tied to sweeping modernisations.
There have been no formal negotiations since spring, but the two sides held informal talks at the end of last year, according to people briefed on the matter.
Some railway industry heads are hoping Aslef will accept a similar deal to one agreed with the RMT, which split a pay and reform offer into two separate parts.
RMT members in November backed a deal that gave them a 5 per cent pay rise with no conditions for the 2022-2023 financial year, with negotiations over modernisation pushed into the following year’s pay talks.
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