Rail Union Suspends Bank Holiday Strike

The TSSA rail union has suspended its strike planned for Bank Holiday Monday, after it received a new pay offer from Network Rail.

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association, along with the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), had planned to walk out from 5pm on Monday 25 May.

:: READ THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS STORY: Both Unions Suspend Planned Rail Strike

The threat caused a number of train operators to cancel services and some others to advise passengers not to travel on the rail network at all.

Officials from both unions have spent the last four days in talks with Network Rail at the conciliation service Acas.

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA, said: "Our negotiating team at Acas has received a revised offer from Network Rail.

"As a result of this, they have suspended the planned industrial action, pending the outcome of a meeting of our workplace representatives next week."

An Acas spokesman said: "Talks at Acas adjourned at lunchtime today after a new set of proposals were tabled by Network Rail. RMT, TSSA and Unite will be considering their response to these proposals."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and Network Rail welcomed the decision but rail industry sources have said the withdrawal of TSSA action will have little impact on improving the level of service train operators can offer if the RMT decide to press ahead with their strike.

The RMT, which represents most Network Rail employees, is still to announce if its strike is going ahead.

The union has already rejected Network Rail’s pay proposals put on the table in April, which it claimed were "well short" in terms of maintaining the living standards, job security and working conditions of close-on 16,000 staff .

Union members have so far rejected a four-year deal worth £500 this year followed by three years of increases matching RPI inflation.

Network Rail’s offer also pledged no compulsory redundancies before December 2016.

Meanwhile, tube drivers on London Underground are to be balloted for strikes in a row over pay for new all-night services, the Aslef union has announced. Around 80% of all London Underground drivers are members of Aslef.