Upcoming London Overground strikes were recently announced by the Rail, Maritime, and Transport union. Over 300 staff members were due to strike at the end of February and the start of March.
The RMT has since announced that the strikes this week have been cancelled although the strikes in March are still to go ahead.
When are the strikes?
Overground staff were due to walk out from 00:01 on February 19 until 23:59 on February 20, and once again from 00:01 on March 4 until 23:59 on March 5.
The industrial action that would have taken place this week has been cancelled. However, the March striking is still expected to take place.
Haggerston, Hoxton, Rotherhithe, Shadwell, Shoreditch High Street, and Wapping stations will all be closed during the strike. Some other stations will be open but unstaffed.
Why are strikes taking place?
RMT members found Arriva Rail London’s (ARL), which has the London Overground contract, pay rise offer insufficient and were incensed at the “below inflation pay offer”. Despite this, ARL maintains that they offered a “good pay reward”.
On the upcoming Overground strikes, RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch said: “London Overground workers do an important job delivering services for TfL and supporting passengers on journeys throughout London. Our members are furious that they have been given a below inflation pay offer and want to see an improvement that represents the value they bring to the company.”
Steve Best, managing director at Arriva Rail London, has commented: “We are hugely disappointed to hear of the RMT union’s decision to stage industrial action on the London Overground in February and March.
“We believe we have offered a good pay award in comparison not only to our industry, but other industries and businesses in the UK too. We remain committed to engaging with the RMT in the hope of resolving this dispute.”
Why have they been called off?
Mike Lynch announced last week that: “London Overground members working for Arriva Rail London have made progress through their determination to take strike action. The dispute is not over but we have made sufficient progress to suspend the action next week in order for our members to assess the new offer fully in a referendum.”
For more information on the strikes, head to TfL’s website here.