Drivers on UK Southern rail suspend next week's strike action - TUC

LONDON (Reuters) - Drivers working for Britain's Southern Rail have agreed to suspend strike action next week which would have brought the network to a standstill once again, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said on Tuesday. Southern Rail, which runs services from central London to Gatwick Airport and Brighton on the south coast, has been hit by a series of stoppages in a dispute about whose job it should be to open and close the train doors. Driver's union ASLEF had planned to stage three days of strikes next week but has agreed to suspend them to allow for talks on Wednesday with Southern, run by Britain's largest train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) - a joint venture owned by London-listed Go-Ahead GOG.L and France's Keolis. "We are committed to finding a fair solution to this dispute," said TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady. "We are pleased that all parties have agreed to meet for meaningful talks.” (Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison)