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Jubilee bank holiday tube strike cancelled

Walkout suspended after talks between TfL and union progress

Helen Coffey
Monday 30 May 2022 05:27 EDT
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Euston will be open as usual on Friday (Peter Byrne/PA)
Euston will be open as usual on Friday (Peter Byrne/PA) (PA Wire)

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A planned strike at two London Underground stations over the Jubilee bank holiday has been cancelled.

Around 80 staff at Euston and Green Park were due to stage a walkout on Friday 3 June, causing the stations to potentially shut over the busy long weekend.

But the industrial action has been halted following successful talks between the RMT union and London Underground chiefs.

Mick Lynch, RMT's general secretary, said: “London Underground has finally seen sense to take the union's arguments seriously regarding workplace bullying and we will now suspend to the strike on 3 June to hopefully reach a resolution quickly.”

Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m pleased that the RMT has suspended their industrial action on 3 June. This good news ensures everyone will be able to make the most of the events in the capital throughout the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrating Her Majesty’s service to our country.

“This demonstrates the importance of unions working with employers to find solutions. I hope TfL and the RMT can continue to work together on the issues raised.”

The strike was originally called to protest bullying and a “toxic working environment” caused by a particular manager working for TfL.

Bosses at London Underground have said they will hold a review into the issues raised, which will include input from union representatives.

However, the RMT said the planned strike will go ahead on a future date if immediate improvements and a “just settlement” are not seen following the review.

A separate, much bigger tube strike planned for Monday 6 June is currently still set to go ahead.

This would involve 4,000 Underground staff and would see much of the tube network shut down for 24 hours.

RMT is calling for the walkout over hundreds of proposed jobs cuts at stations; this could also result in the staff who are left having to work unsociable hours or man stations alone, claims the union.

Andy Lord, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “We are extremely disappointed that the RMT has announced unnecessary strike action on 6 June and share Londoners’ frustrations that this, and the linked action short of strike, has been designed to disrupt the Jubilee weekend.

“It is particularly surprising that the RMT has threatened to spoil this moment when the nation is coming together as nobody has or will lose their jobs as a result of the proposals we have set out and there have been no proposals on pension changes.”

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