Avanti West Coast train staff have suspended their strikes set for the next two Sundays to allow for talks, raising hopes that the planned disruption every weekend until summer may be called off.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said the next two Sunday strikes by onboard train managers would be called off in the hope of making “meaningful progress” in negotiations with the intercity rail operator.
The strikes would have seen major cuts to Avanti services between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow
An RMT spokesperson said: “This suspension reflects our goodwill and commitment to finding a resolution to this rest day working dispute. We are responding to overtures from Avanti and hope meaningful progress towards a negotiated settlement can be made during these talks.”
Strikes held by the RMT and Aslef on other rail networks were resolved last year, leaving Avanti as the sole operator continuing to be hit by industrial action.
Avanti West Coast workers
Avanti West Coast workers to strike on New Year’s Eve
In December, initial plans for a series of strikes over Christmas were suspended while voting took place over a new offer, which included changes to rest-day working payments and promises of talks about new technology agreements. However, these were rejected by members who then voted to strike because of the larger payments made to senior managers who volunteered to cover train crew on rest days.
The RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, who is set to retire in May, said earlier this month: “It is wrong that Avanti is paying replacement managers up to £500 per shift – around double what our members earn – while these managers fail to deliver the same service for passengers.”
An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said in response to the strikes being called off: “We are pleased that the RMT has made the decision to suspend planned industrial action on Sunday 19 and Sunday 26 January. We remain open to working with them to resolve this dispute.
“Although the announcement comes too late for us to run a full timetable this Sunday with just 48 hours’ notice, it does mean we will look at running some extra services on that day.”
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