Virgin Trains East Coast workers have suspended strike action, which was due to disrupt journeys later this month including the bank holiday weekend.
The union suspended the walk-outs today after Virgin Trains repeated its assurances to the union, including one of no compulsory redundancies, as part of changes designed to improve customer experience.
Virgin Trains had promised a full timetable during the three 24hr stoppages and overtime ban over the bank holiday weekend planned for the east coast route in August.
RMT said the suspension "does not mean the dispute has been completely resolved".
"It has allowed... union representatives to go back into talks with management and to extend the deadline for taking industrial action to a further 28 days," RMT general secretary Mick Cash wrote in a note to union members.
David Horne, Virgin Trains’ Managing Director on the east coast route, said: “We’re pleased that the RMT has agreed to suspend industrial action and continue talks. We had put in place detailed contingency plans which would have seen our timetable run as normal, nevertheless this news will be welcomed by our customers and people.
“We’re making exciting changes on the east coast as part of the customer-centric revolution which has seen us embark on a £140m investment programme in our trains and stations,” said Horne.
Workers were set to walk out from 03:00 on 19, 26 and 29 August and ban overtime for 48 hours from August 27.
RMT said the action is over a threat to jobs, working conditions and safety.
Read an interview with Virgin Trains MD David Horne.
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