Tube station workers' weekend strike called off by RMT union
(about 7 hours later)
Last-minute talks to avert a strike by Tube station staff have been "detailed and constructive', the RMT union said.
A 48-hour Tube strike by station staff that was due to start on Saturday has been suspended, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has said.
Transport for London has warned that some Tube stations will not open on Sunday and Monday if the strike goes ahead.
Workers were due to walk out from 21:00 GMT in a row over jobs, pay and rosters.
Others may open late or close early, although all trains will run as usual.
The RMT said "significant progress" had been made "which has enabled us to now suspend all industrial action".
Unless a deal is reached, the RMT has told members working in stations not to work shifts starting between 21:00 GMT on Saturday and 21:00 GMT on Monday.
A series of separate strikes by Tube maintenance workers in a dispute over safety are still planned.
More on this story and other news from London
More on this story and other news from London
It says TfL's station modernisation plans put the public at risk.
Some stations would have been closed from Saturday evening until Tuesday morning had the walk-out gone ahead.
TfL said the impact of a strike would be "difficult to predict".
A union spokesman said: "The breakthrough has been secured through the solidarity of the workforce and their willingness to take industrial action to defend jobs and safety."
"We will open whichever stations we can, based on the staff who sign on to their shifts. Please allow more time for your journey on these days."
Transport for London (TfL) confirmed the strike was off but has not commented further.
Extra buses
Extra buses will run and some roadworks will be suspended.
The Overground, National Rail, tram and river services are unaffected.
'No basis'
Steve Griffiths, London Underground's chief operating officer, said there was "absolutely no basis whatsoever" for the planned strike.
"All of our ticket offices closed in December and all this strike will achieve is to lose staff two days' pay and a £500 bonus.
"We have delivered every commitment we made to our staff over our stations modernisation programme - there have been no compulsory redundancies, work-life balance has been protected and there's a job for anyone who wants to stay with no loss of pay. Around 900 station staff will be promoted or will move from fixed-term contracts to permanent roles."
The RMT said there were "outstanding issues around rostering and weekend work" which the talks had not yet resolved.
"The union cannot and will not sit back while safety-critical jobs, that are the eye and ears of the service, are ripped away from our stations."
