Transport for London (TfL) and a workers’ union has reached an agreement on pay and further strikes have been called off, as London’s Night Tube service moves a step in the right direction.
The Tube service was originally due to be extended back in September 2015 but was delayed after workers rejected proposed working conditions. However, on Monday members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union have accepted a deal which will allow the plan to go ahead. The executive of the union announced that he would be backing the deal last month and 10,000 members began voting on the 11th of February.
The new deal includes a 2% pay rise in year one, RPI inflation or 1% (whichever is greater) in year two and three, and RPI plus 0.25% or 1% in year four, as well as a £500 bonus for staff working on lines where the night tube will run. According to RMT, there was an 84% vote in favour of the deal after the mediation talks brought an end to proposed strikes.
The General Secretary of the Union said that he wished to ‘pay tribute’ to members of the union who have stood their ground whilst fighting for better pay and conditions against industrial pressure. He added that the offer was only made as a result of ‘hard work’ by union reps backed up by ‘the loyalty and militance of workers’ across the tube network.
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London previously championed the plans, despite outside criticism over the delay from the September launch. Business groups in particular have been enthusiastic about the impact that a night tube would have on the capital, as 2000 extra jobs could be provided and an extra £360 million generated for the economy.
Members of Aslef, the drivers’ union are currently voting on the offer and are planning to announce their verdict in the next week. TSSA and Unite unions haven’t yet put the offer to their members.
A TfL spokesman said they couldn’t announce a night tube starting date, but recruitment and training for 200 part time drivers was in progress. Meanwhile, the Chief Operating Officer of the London Underground said that he was ‘pleased’ RMT had chose to accept the offer. He said that the pay deal was ‘fair and affordable’ and offers protection of an employee’s work/life balance. He said that the company was seeking agreement with the other unions whilst focusing on the recruitment and training of drivers in order to bring the night tube to London ‘as soon as possible’.
In a poll on The Independent website, readers were asked whether the implementation of night tube services will change how they spend their weekend. 78% of respondents said that yes, they believed it would- a total of just over 2,600 readers.
For more information about the night tube, contact TFL.
