Photo Hannah Sell

Photo Hannah Sell   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Tube unions RMT, TSSA and Unite suspended the 24-hour strike action which was planned to start on the evenings of 25 and 27 August but they have made it clear to London Underground (LU) the dispute remains ongoing. And, as we go to press, further strike action is planned for 8 and 10 September.

Talks continue in the dispute over night-time tube working, which are making significant progress. The unions and their members will decide if any new offer from LU is sufficient to settle but it’s clear that the action, that has already twice brought London to a halt, has forced management to move. Night Tube, which was due to start on 12 September, has now been delayed.

Unsocial hours

The dispute is over devastating increases in unsocial working hours, hundreds of job cuts and attacks on pay and conditions. Unions have accepted night trains from the off, but warn management’s proposals will harm workers and safety.

There has been overwhelming public support for previous strike action which now needs to be mobilised with public meetings of tube workers, the wider union movement and the general public.

“Rock solid” strike

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “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 the 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.”