Tube strikes cancelled: Four days of London Underground staff walkouts called off, say RMT union

Walk-outs planned across much of Zone One are called off

Proposed walk-out by more than 3,000 station staff in protest over job cuts had threatened to grind the tube network to a standstill (PA wire)

Four days of strikes affecting London's Underground network have been called off, it has been announced.

A proposed walk-out by more than 3,000 station staff - members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union - in protest over job cuts that had threatened to grind the tube network to a standstill.

Strikes had been due to take place on for various lengths of time - including during peak periods - starting on Sunday evening across most of Zone One, prompting outrage among commuters.

But after an emergency meeting held by the RMT on Friday morning, it was decided the strike would be called off — marking an upturn in relations in a long-running and often bitter dispute between the union and London Underground management.

RMT general secretary Mike Cash said the union had received assurances that nearly 60 per cent of jobs, previously cut, would be reinstated.

According to the union boss, station employees had been cut by almost 1,000 under the leadership of former London Mayor Boris Johnson, but 533 jobs would now be reinstated.

"That is a tremendous victory and a reflection of the resilience and determination of our reps," Mr Cash said.

Another union had previously called off strikes after it reached an agreement with Tube bosses.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement he was "delighted that we have been able to get the tube strikes suspended - it shows what we can achieve by talking and engaging with staff".

He added: "This is an excellent deal that will ensure commuters get the service they need at underground stations, and it will fix the mess created by the previous mayor [Mr Johnson]"

In January a 24-hour strike by RMT staff and members of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association forced almost all central London stations to shut, causing heavy traffic congestion and delays across the rest of the transport network.