Industrial action called off after improved pay offer
A strike by Tube Lines maintenance workers which was planned on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines from late morning Wednesday 20 August until the evening of 23 August has been called off.
Tube Lines has offered them a pay deal worth 4.99% over two years, compared with the one year pay increase of 4.8% they were originally offered. It also offered to pay more towards employees' travel costs.
The RMT said it would put the new offer to members in a ballot and recommend that they accept it.
Staff who threatened to strike included track workers, train maintainers and signallers who earn between £30,700 and £50,300.
The result of the ballot will decide whether the RMT's planned 72-hour strike on 3 September goes ahead.
The RMT voted against Tube Lines’ original offer in favour of striking claiming that the terms and conditions of Tube Line's employees is below that of those at Metronet. Only one in four of those eligible voted in favour of industrial action.
Tube Line's employees get 29 days of annual leave as well as eight bank holidays and employees in operational grades receive an 80% subsidy on travel. The offer also compares favourably with other pay deals agreed elsewhere this year, such as 2.5% for nurses and 1.9% for police.
August 19, 2008