Bob Crow lauds 'strength and courage' of suspended drivers
The RMT have confirmed that tube driver's strike action - due to commence next week - has been suspended following an agreement with London Underground to re-employ driver Eamonn Lynch, and agreement to hold further discussion aimed at resolving the case of sacked driver Arwyn Thomas in advance of his Employment Tribunal.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said,“This dispute has only ever been about securing justice for our members who have been unfairly dismissed. As a result of this agreement Eamonn Lynch can return to work with his continuity of employment and standard of living protected."
He added, “I want to pay tribute to the loyalty and determination of our members on London Underground who have continued to stand shoulder to shoulder with their colleagues Eamonn and Arwyn. Their strength and courage has been a shining example to the entire trade union movement.”
Boris Johnson welcomed the suspension as claimed it showed the union had recognised "that flexing union muscle is completely unjustified and unnecessary".
He added, "I am also pleased that the union has recognised that there was a significant safety breach in the case of Eamonn Lynch and that I, as mayor, will not tolerate the lives of Londoners being put at risk. The capital is rightly fed-up with pointless, futile and destructive strikes."
There were set to be two phases to the strikes in the middle of May and June timed to coincide with GCSE exams. The timing of the strikes meant that the drivers would only have forfeited one day's pay for every two day's of disruption they caused on the network.
May 11, 2011
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