A series of rail strikes have been cancelled after union members accepted pay and condition improvements offered by railway companies.
Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) have agreed terms with the companies, which means further strike action has now been called off.
A statement from the union said: “Given this result, TSSA will notify employers that the ballot for Industrial Action has also been withdrawn.”
“Accepting the offer ends the dispute on which the ballot was based. Any live industrial action will also be cancelled.”
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After months of rowing, the 3,200 union members participating in the dispute largely endorsed the offers made by the 14 train operators, who were represented in the negotiations by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG).
However, the move does not mean the end of rail strikes.
Tens of thousands of RMT members are engaged in separate legal battles with Network Rail and the train companies on issues that are identical.
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Last week, RMT announced a series of 24-hour strikes to start start on March 16.
The RDG has not yet commented on the deal reached by the TSSA membership, but the Aslef drivers’ union remains in discussions.
A TSSA spokesperson said: “This is a clear decision from our members which will end our long-running dispute – something which could have happened months ago had it not been for government intransigence.
“The incredible resolve we have seen from our members has resulted in a significantly improved pay deal over two years, commitments for no compulsory redundancies, improved opportunities for redeployment, as well as full consultation over proposed reforms to ticket offices and any changes to terms and conditions.”
“Thanks to the great commitment of our members across the train companies they have collectively won a better future and can be rightly proud of their actions in this historic dispute.
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“We will continue to hold the train companies and the government to account as we go forward because Britain needs a fully functioning rail network at the heart of our green industrial future, and as a means of rebuilding our economy in the wake of the COVID pandemic.”
Source: Sky News
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