Potential
strikes


on
London
Underground
have
been
averted
after
the
RMT
accepted
LUL’s
latest
pay
offer.

Lower
paid
staff
will
see
their
pay
rise
between
5
and
6.6
per
cent,
and
the
average
increase
will
be
4.6
per
cent.

The
union
has
also
welcomed
the
scrapping
of
a
freeze
on
pay
bands
and
of
proposals
to
introduce
new
structures
which
it
claims
would
have
affected
work-life
balance.

Harmonised
paternity
leave
has
been
extended
to
three
weeks,
there
will
be
three
years
of
protection
of
earnings
for
staff
who
have
been
displaced
for
medical
reasons,
and
improved
travel
privileges
for
retired
staff.

RMT
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said:
‘This
agreement
is
a
landmark
victory
for
our
members
and
a
vindication
of
RMT’s
determination
to
fight
for
fair
pay
and
conditions.’

However,
there
is
still
the
possibility
of
minor
disruption
on
the
Elizabeth
Line
on
New
Year’s
Eve,
because
the
RMT
has
called
a
24-hour
strike
of
control
room
staff
starting
at
21.00
on
31
December,
in
a
separate
dispute
over
pay.
A
ban
on
overtime
and
rest
day
working
has
also
been
called
from
5
December
to
18
December.

The
union
wants
improvements
to
staff
leave
and
shorter
working
hours.

TfL
said
Elizabeth
Line
services,
which
are
operated
for
TfL
by
MTR,
would
still
run
during
the
strike,
but
that
trains
might
be
busier
than
usual.
It
added:
‘We
encourage
the
RMT
and
MTR
to
find
a
solution.’