Tube strikes: unions suspend industrial action amid negotiations - what has RMT and Aslef said?

A strike impacting the London Underground in the coming days has been suspended, as transport unions confirmed that negotiations were ongoing.

Members of the RMT union were due to walkout between 23 July to 28 July, while members of the Unite and Aslef unions were due to join the picket lines on 26 and 28 July.

However, strikes have now been suspended by all unions after it was revealed that "progress" had been made in negotiations. Staff had been locked in a dispute with bosses over various concerns over job cuts, working conditions and pensions.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that while "significant progress" has been made in talks, the suspended action does not mark an "end of the dispute nor is it a victory for the union as yet."

He added: "Our members were prepared to engage in significant disruptive industrial action and I commend their resolve. RMT's strike mandate remains live until October and we are prepared to use it if necessary. 

”We will continue to negotiate in good faith as we always have done with TfL (Transport for London) and it was only the steadfast commitment of our members in being prepared to take sustained strike action that has forced the employer to make significant concessions. Our campaign to defend jobs, conditions and our members pensions will continue in the coming weeks and months.”

Finn Brennan, Aslef’s organiser on the Underground, said: “After a week of intense negotiations, we have made real progress in making sure our members’ working conditions and pensions are protected from the impact of the Tory Government cuts to Transport for London (TfL) funding.

“There will be no changes to pension benefits before the next general election and any future changes to working conditions and agreements will only be made by negotiation.”

The suspension has been welcomed by bosses, who are continuing in talks with union representatives.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan welcomed the news, saying: “Despite the onerous funding deal conditions imposed by the Government, we have managed to avoid industrial action.

“Negotiation is always the best way forward and this shows what we can achieve by working with trade unions.

“I’ve been in close contact with the TfL commissioner throughout this week, and I’ll keep working with our TfL unions and staff to deliver the best transport system in the world for Londoners.”