London Underground strike called off

London’s planned 48 hour underground strike has been called off by the RMT and the TSSA unions, following the Tuesday morning talks between the two unions and the London Underground bosses. 

The strike was due to begin on Tuesday 11^th February at 9pm. Members of the RMT and TSSA were due to campaign against the closing of 260 Tube ticket offices and a loss of 950 jobs.   

Bob Crow, the RMT’s general secretary said: “After two days of intensive and detailed discussions through the offices of Acas, we have now received proposals that halt the implementation of the job cuts which gives us the opportunity to discuss all of the issues away from the pressure cooker.” 

A TSSA spokesman said: “We have now agreed a process where all our serious concerns over safety and job losses will be seriously addressed through the normal channels. We are obviously pleased that we have agreed this process.” 

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said that he’s pleased with the outcome out of the talks, as it will avert further unnecessary disruptions for people who commute daily on the London Underground service. 

He also added that the Tube modernisation is essential for a better service, which will offer good value for money. 

Last week, thousands of Londoners were affected by the two day strike, which resulted in the London Underground running a third of its normal service. Buses struggled to accommodate the high number of commuters and roads were jammed with increased traffic.

Justyna Majewska