Rail union RMT is expected to cancel the two-day Tube strike by 2,500 Metronet staff which was due to begin on Monday 28 April.
Industrial action was called last Friday (18 April) but ”substantial progress” was made when the union received written confirmation from Transport for London (TfL) giving assurances regarding employees” jobs from the Mayor of London.
”We now have in writing undertakings that when the Metronet contracts are taken back in-house by TfL there will be no outsourcing, and that all Metronet staff will be entitled to join the TfL pension fund and enjoy the same travel facilities as other TfL employees," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said.
”That marks substantial progress, and tonight's developments will be placed before the RMT executive on Monday, but on the basis of the written assurances received tonight I will be recommending that the dispute be ended.”
A meeting is expected to take place at 15:30 today, (21 April) and an RMT spokesman told ABTN this morning that although the strike is not definitely off yet, ”it appears the likely course.”
TfL said when the industrial action was called that it was unnecessary as it had already guaranteed everything the RMT asked for, but the union wanted this in writing.
On Friday evening Crow said: ”It is difficult to understand why these assurances could not have been given without us having to name strike dates.
"Our members are to be congratulated for the stand they have taken against the creation of a two-tier workforce and for their determination not to be made to pay the price for the collapse of the PPP and the greed of Metronet's shareholders.”
Metronet remains in Administration.